My Little Pony: The Last Dreamrider
by Joss10
Summary: 1778: Humans are now slaves for the Empire of Equestria. They sought after a savior... one who would deliver them to freedom from the iron grip of Princess Celestia herself... And they sought no more. For a human who came, their search was over... but this human would never have the option of the easy road... He would lead all of humanity, carrying the burden like his forefather...
1. The Beginning Trixie's Servant

**Hello there and thank you for taking the time to open my story. I really want this to be a winner, in my books. But most of all I want to please you and make you feel as if this is a pleasing story, so... I hope this strikes you well.**

 **Begin...**

 **The Beginning; Trixie's Servant**

...

Humans.

When the word was first spoke, it was thought as a myth, a fluke, or even a legend... The respect that humans were given, even as they were no longer existent to their knowledge was quite striking. It felt like we were some kind of god, some superbeing...

And we were. Far more advanced than the likes of the Equestrians, we conquered all where we saw fit. And that was a promise. Crushing our foes with a our heavy machinery and modern equipment.

After the first human sighting, the world never saw the humans the same way again. For the human in charge was a spy, sent out to see what the news about growing Equestria. It was a make-or-break mission, and one error was deemed fatal to not only the spy but to the human race and in their diplomatic discussions.

But as humans, we got ahead of ourselves. We did not see through with our other diplomatic relations and seeing as how grave news spreads like wildfire, unlike good news, the news spread to Equestria, discouraging them to form relations with us... And they were a superpower.

Oh but the second strongest in the known world, we were much greater, stronger, and mightier... But what we didn't know is that raw materials can be blocked well by magic, and for that simple minded mistake, cost us the sanctity of the human race, as well as the war which began on May 7th, 1544.

The 'Fateful Appointment' day, as it was known, was by all means an infamous day. For then we realized that the war would be over soon. Our best defenses and offensive units couldn't come close to what you or anyone else would call an 'advantage', or even a 'fair fight'. Even our ruler, Dreamrider, who fulfilled his dream of starting off the human race. Would we even have dreams if it wasn't for him? Heavens no.

He gave us the hope and ability to chase our dreams... Until the very end.

...

The war ended on May 24th, 1544.

... It lasted not even 3 weeks. It was not even given the grace to come anywhere near a year-long war...

...

But there was still, in the silence and midst of the war, a shining, twinkling little spark of hope... You see, one man alone cannot procreate, as I'm sure you know... He must be accompanied by a partner to be able to fulfill the gift of life through the womb... The old legend is said to have it that he fell in love with one such as the pony kind, a unicorn, or an Alicorn... One that was said to wear a horn, but the history books have never been specific...

... But it is still said that through the generations of the Dreamriders, each and everyone of us was enstilled in us a still, small sliver of Magic, opening the gates to us the gift of utilizing Magic... Though as to what extent that legend ever existed or was ever true, never convinced me that it was ever true...

For in the end, the humans, once defeated and their might metropolis was destroyed, the rest fleed, scattered, were killed, or were captured for interragation and they killed. Few humans ever made it out, and even fewer were made out to be captured, and captured they were...

Out of a handful of people, I was chosen by fate to be part of the few humans who survived... And I was also chosen by fate, to carry the unimaginably heavy burden of one who made it so far before...

...

My name is Michael Dreamrider, and I am one of the last surviving immediate relatives of the Dreamrider family. And now, instead of living inside a lavish castle, I am now the friend and accomplice of one most high ruler of the Empire of Equestria, Princess Twilight Sparkle, Alicorn and Princess of Magic, Goddess of all things tangible. She'd grown up so far, she'd made it to full princess and stood tall at eye-level with the Princess of the Day, Princess Celestia, and Princess of the Night, Princess Luna...

I cannot tell you what I feel, for I feel at times good, and at other times bad. I am confused as to what I am destined to be... I'm now 17 years old, going on 18 in a month, and I have no predestined area to go and flourish in, at least in my mind... Working as a servant for Ms. Sparkle is a treat. She's happy, vibrant, beautiful, caring, and most of all, supportive...

I can't imagine not being with her now, as I pracitcally am considered her friend and comforter... But even still, I am only her servant; I still treat her with respect and care...

... But that's not where I started...

 _ **1 & 1/2 Years Ago... The Town of Fillydelphia...**_

... I couldn't have asked for more attention in the way people, or I say _ponies_ , today. Everywhere I went: staring. I felt like I could crawl into a dark corner and die without second thought or the slighest hesitation.

But I guess that's the point of being embarressed, is it not? To be utterly and completely vulnerable and feel stupid from the reactions of others around you, making you feel that you did something as if it was something wrong?... Yes, I believe that is the point...

"MICHAEL!"

The voice of my owner and superior boomed at me as I shot up from sitting down against a large oak tree under the shade next to the street. "

YES MA'AM!" I shot out as I stood at attention, my heart racing as she gave me an angered look, gritting her teeth.

"Quite your loafing and help me with these things!" She commanded me as I nodded and ran over to the suitcases and piled them in the back of the wagon trunk.

"Sometimes I wonder why I even have you." She muttered as I awaited further instruction.

"Now get in here before I change my mind." She ordered me into the car of the wagon as she motioned for me to sit down. She took a moment to stop and wave at the crowd again.

Oh, I'm sorry, did I forget to tell you she was an entertainer? Some say she was born to do it, but I say it's just a bunch of folly. Oh but what fun it is! She started a few months ago in a small area downtown of Fillydelphia, and her talent increased her popularity.

She recently hosted a magic show for a few more magicians after I convinced her. I don't know how, but I always do end up convincing her in the end. I guess it's that special little talent I have inside for certain situations that arise.

"Ms. Lulamoon? We should be going now, i-" I started as she cut me off,

"Oh I know, I just wanted to spend one more moment with the citizens... And quit reminding me, I remember." She said as she sat down across from me. I closed the door behind her and sat down low so as I could fit in the carriage. I was 6 feet, 1 inch. Quite the man I was. I wasn't small inside or outside.

"And where are we going anyway? I mean, was I even told?" She asked sarcastically.

"We are going uptown to meet the mayor, remember? We cannot be late for him, no... And I did tell you, ma'am." I said as she squinted at me for a moment in thought.

"Fine." She huffed. "And give me the schedule." She held her hoof out as I pulled it out of my black leather coat pocket, located on the inside. I placed it in her hoof and she took it.

"Hmm... Where? I don't see any appointment for the mayor anywhere! You incompetent fool! It's not here!" She yelled at me and threw the paper in my face. I grabbed it and scanned it as I saw it marked down in plain sight.

"I-It's right here..." I said, my voice wavering. I pointed it out to her as she took it out of my hand and studied it. I looked out the window and silently cried to myself as my tears welled up in my eyes.

I didn't do anything!... and I was reprimanded for it...

"Your right..." She muttered as I cried even harder, seeing as how I was right in the end, remembering the appointment and reminding her. Without me, she would have been made a laughingstock.

"But next time mark it down like it's important!" She seethed as she stuck the schedule in her saddlebag.

"Yes ma'am." I said, causing my voice to sound as if everything was okay on my end. She sighed in disgust and went about her business and began reading one of her novels she bought from a bookstore that sold rare and unique books.

After I recollected myself and wiped away my tears, I stopped to on what I would say to the mayor, seeing as how many of these ponies despise us human beings... I wondered if The Great Trixie also despised humans and only enslaved me because she needed someone to do the work for her... I sincerly hoped that was not true.

"Michael." She addressed me as I looked to her and saw her face giving me an expression of sincerity but also of seriousness.

"I don't say this to much... And I doubt I will ever say it again, but..." She started, inhaling before saying what it was she wanted to address, "... I'm sorry. I should have seen it... There. I said it." She said as she blushed and looked away.

"Quite staring at me, I am the Great and Powerful Trixie! She does not wish to be looked upon like that!" She announced as I instantly looked away and respected her wishes as I felt my heartstrings snagged on the phrase 'I'm sorry'. Never in my time of being with her, my scoldings, my reprimands, and the discipline she showed me, did she ever say those two words to me so caringly. And I've been with her for almost 3 years... Almost. I started with her at 14 years of age... I was quite small until I sprouted quickly... But I could never understand why she acted so shallow... But at least she apologized...

Even if it was half-hearted... I stopped staring out across the town through the small carriage window and layed down inside the carriage, closing my eyes and thinking about the many shows Ms. Lulamoon would perform. I know she'd probably go farther than most others, I could sense it. Magicians were just folly anyway, but she was the best, to my knowledge...

Best at folly? Best at magic? I don't know. Best at something, anyways... "Oh tell me you got _some_ sleep last night." She sarcastically asked me as I opened my eyes and sat up to face her.

"Oh I got plenty of sleep last night... It's just that what else would I do for the moment... I mean it's not like I'm going to twidle my thumbs the whole way... ma'am." I said as she shrugged and looked out the window.

"I don't want you to be tired and weary when I need you. I believe I payed good money for you, so act like it." She said as I bit my tongue, using my self-taught self-discipline as I burned inside to tell her to go to hell with her money and that you can't ever _own_ a human.

It's morally and spiritually wrong. I can't imagine having a crueler master... I wouldn't say she's the cruelest... But she's up there with the worser ones... I merely shivered at the sheer though of being the servant of Princess Celestia... Dear god in heaven, please, I beg of you, don't ever let me be her servant... I just don't know what I would do.

She'd probably have her servants maul me just for looking at her wrong... Then tell me never to speak of it again... That's the kind of pony I'd imagined her to be... Cruel, unloving, and most of all, the sole destroyer of the humankind...

She was the one to declare war on the humans once our spy was caught... Then it was shortly afterwards when she annihilated our forces and wiped humankind of the face of the Earth...

...

Earth...

...

I cry just at the name of it, and... I'm crying now.

"What on... Are you crying?!" She asked me in a tone of disbelief as I looked at her and nodded, blinking slowly, releasing my tears evermore.

"Yes... I'm... Remembering the old times I had with my fellow humans... How we would sit around the fire and talk about the legend of Earth... A place of rest for us humans, if we ever had the blessing of reaching it... We vowed to keep that our main objective... We vowed... That if we ever, just one, made it to the other side, we would bring back as many humans as possible..."

"And we would try and unite with the surrounding countries... And then crush the living daylights out of the Equestrians, once and for all." I finished as she looked at me in horror.

"But don't worry, I fear they will not be back for a while... But if they did come back years from now... Equestria would have no chance." I said as she kept giving me the same look of horror.

"Do you... Share the same beliefs about us?" She asked as I pondered the question.

"Yes... But I would not bring the humans back to kill the Equestrians if they did not still have the same hatred..."

"I vowed to fulfill the wishes of my forefather, The Dreamrider himself... His famous words which impacted the world of us humans even after his death... Even more so after... His exact words were: 'I've only got one life to lose, and I want to live it all... I only have one life to live, and I don't want to lose it all...'. I keep that close everyday..." I said as I made a fist to my heart and closed my eyes and remembered him from a message that was given to me to watch... It was a message sent down from each ancestor...

But I am the last.

And I can no longer find a wife to marry and procreate with... I doubt I will make it far without these ponies... The Everfree is a scary place... But... I hear that humans actually retreated to that area of the world to escape imprisonment...

Maybe... Someday I will be able to find my fellow people? The friends and family of my blood?... Maybe even pass on my forefather's legacy through me and a loving wife... But how would I ever come to find that opportunity anytime in my life?

These ponies would never allow me to leave... The 'Laws of Humanity' are a binding set of guidelines/rules that _every_ human/pony must abide by... The 'Laws of Humanity' in this country are:

1\. Humans are only allowed to leave a city/town/province with supervision and a warrant to do so from their master/superior.

2\. Humans may not leave the country.

3\. Humans are not allowed to meet together without authorized supervision.

4\. Humans are not allowed to carry weapons of any kind.

5\. Humans which do not have masters will be subject to an auction where a master will buy them.

6\. Humans are only to procreate when the population of humans are low.

7\. Humans who are found guilty of any crime will be sentenced to a serious punishment, or possibly death.

8\. For humans, only a princess has the power to have a human that is not bought nor has a Certificate of Authentication. (CoA)

9\. Humans without a Certificate of Authentication (CoA) will be assigned one and drafted as a servant immediately.

10\. Humans who enter the country are immediately arrested for further instruction by a princess or high ruler in power.

11\. Humans born with the ability of magic will immediately be sentenced to disable that ability.

12\. Humans caught practicing or utilizing magic will be sentenced for serious reprimand and have the ability removed.

13\. Any human who is guilty of crime(s) and the total crime(s) is equal to capital punishment of execution and that said human is fled as a refugee, _IF_ the human is killed by a pony/human, then said pony/human is _NOT_ sentenced guilty of murder.*

14\. Any human who is not in the presence of their master will have to be tracked and monitored by their master.

15\. Humans are to obey all commands by their masters, no matter how insignificant.

16\. If a human flees from their master because the order is harmful to them, i.e, suicide, will be arrested and so will the master, where they will both be trialed in a court of law to find if the refugee made a valid claim. If so, human is drafted another master. If not, human is reprimanded and returns to their master.

17\. Humans caught with a weapon will be sentenced to imprisonment for X amount of time, where X is dependent on the weapon.

18\. If a human is under the servitude of a high ruler, i.e., Princess Celestia, he/she will obey commands without hesitation and with the utmost profound respect for the ruler in command.

19\. Only Princesses or high rulers are allowed to engage in any romantic/sexual relationships with a human. If said human and pony procreate, the birth will be honored as so. Any offspring by pony and human will act as an successor.

20\. Any romantic relationships to a princess from a human immediately names him/her a Prince/Princess, until relationship is over, in which case human returns to a master/servant relationship.

21\. Violation of these rules will be observed by a princess and then by a court of law, depending on how severe the crime was/is.

*: stands for if killing is a sufficient reason.

... Confining, isn't it? We humans like to call this: 'Conduct: 20'. The last law is just a reminder anyways...

"Michael."...

"MICHAEL!" I heard a scream as I stood up straight and banged my head on the top of the carriage, exclaiming in pain as she laughed loudly.

"Don't laugh." I grumbled under my breath.

"Hahaha! Haha, ohh... Okay. Enough of that. The Great and Powerful Trixie forbids it. We have arrived." She stated as I looked out. I nodded and opened the door for her, only to realize that it was muddy on the ground. I nodded to myself and got out first, careful not to get mud on me.

She tried to get out, readying herself, but reeling back every time because of the muck on the ground. I then rolled my eyes and motioned for her to hold me when I picked her up.

"What does _that_ mean?" She asked as I looked at her and sighed.

"Hold onto me. I'll carry you." I said as she scoffed.

"Ponies weigh more than you think." She smirked as I shrugged.

"I bet I can carry you." I said as she rolled her eyes and readied herself.

"If you drop me, consider yourself dead or close to." She growled as I nodded. I wrapped my arms around her and held her head so it wouldn't bounce back and forth as she clung to me.

"Now will you believe me?" I said I walked across the street and put her down, ponies noticing what a nice thing I did and admiring my gallantry.

"Oh... Wow..." She sighed as she blushed hard. I had a hard time figuring out why.

But I think I knew.

"Ms. Lulamoon? Your blushing." I said as she shook her head and chuckled nervously.

"Oh, well... I guess I am, hehe." She said, a changed tone of voice and a soft heart as I saw the side of her that I doubt any others except her parents have ever seen.

"But the show must go on!" She proudly stated.

I was in for one hell of a ride, wasn't I? I mean, I've never felt that any pony could be so self-centered. Oh well. That was soon chucked out the window soon after I knew her.

"Ms. Lulamoon?" I addressed her as she turned back around.

"Yes, my subject?" She answered, making me sigh in disgust as I moved on, "Might I suggest that you not act so... 'Great and Powerful Trixie', with the mayor?" I suggested as she looked at me, confused.

"But I _am_ the Great and Powerful Trixie!" She battled, huffing as I sighed in disgust again.

"Not with the mayor your not. A little advice and, you can slap me if you want at any time, but being with one of higher authority is a privilege. From what I always learned back home, and being the last of my kind, I've learned that every second is a blessing, knowing that we are breathing borrowed air as we speak... I know you don't believe that but hear me when I say that higher authority rarely speaks to the common individual." I said as she took it all in but then was enraged when I called her the 'common individual'.

She growled and walked towards me as I held up my hands, "Woah woah woah, I meant that _HE_ thinks your the common individual. To me your my master, so let's get that straight... Ma'am." I said as she looked up at me.

'Course I was quite tall.

"Lean down." She said as I did so.

*SMACK*

... Damnit.

"There. Better." She smirked as I nodded slowly to myself, my stinging resolve halting my anger as I felt so stupid yet confused. But in some way I must have deserved that, right? I mean, it's not like she would slap me just because I was right and she wasn't, right?

...

Double damnit... Oh well, at least I got somewhere. At least I am being listened to. Others would not even permit me to speak, much less give them advice. I guess maybe she isn't that bad. I mean, I can imagine other masters... Dear god... The ones that make me shiver are the ones who...

Would ask of you sexual favors. Shiiiit... That's so messed up, I can't imagine. I could handle just about everything else, but...Damn. That's so messed up, I can't even imagine. Relationships with a pony? Man that's so...

Familiar. Every time I think of that, I think of the story of my great-great-great-great grandfather... Michael the First Dreamrider... Ah yes... I was named after him because of the day I was born... I was born on May 7th.

The declaration of war... That is why they named me Michael... The believed that I would find the rest of the human race and re-unite them, leading a huge revolt against the enemies of the surrounding countries of Equestria... Convincing them that Equestria destroyed us mercilessly because of prejudice...

And we would crush them... But I never believed that... Another reason I was named Michael. He was a strong-willed man, from what I heard. Stubborn, strong-willed, and wilful. To my knowledge, he was the man who carried the feelings and burden of all humans on his shoulders. He had the largest heart for his friends and even some of his enemies.

Many people after the war commented that I was just like him... And that I was the spitten image of him as well. Some say that I was the reincarnation of the Dreamrider himself... But how was I to believe any of them? Who knows, I could be the living, _breathing_ reincarnation of my father. I was never to know until the time was right, anyway.

But I'm... Just a purebred human. I don't have hundreds of years to live like these ponies do... I have 80, 90 years? I'm not immortal. I'm a homegrown, old-fashioned human... I mean, it's not like I have any part of me that's immortal...

...

Wait a minute. Ponies live to be hundreds of years because of genetics... If the legend... If the legend is right about my father, then... A small bit of pony genetics was placed in me when I was born... Which meant that...

... Oh man...

I'm gonna live a lot longer than the normal human, and... Hmm... What will I do? Humans were never meant to live as long as I believe I will...

*SMACK*

"WAH!" I jumped as now my right cheek stung, my body trembling at the sudden surprise.

"The Great and Power Trixie is really tired of yelling at you, so she decided slapping you would be more... Effective." She smirked and nodded as I nodded back.

"You know you sound really sexy when you talk like that." I said as she spluttered a mass of syllables out and almost fell over.

"W-WHAT?!" She questioned loudly. "I-I didn't say anything." I said as I tried so hard not to laugh...

Though my laughing would soon be replaced my horror, as even joking sounds real... If I was reported, we would both suffer a huge loss.

"What did you say?!" She yelled at me as I held my hands up.

"I said, 'I didn't say anything.'." I replied as she looked at me and squinted her eyes in wonder.

"I don't believe you... And I could care less." She said as I nodded and acknowledged her silently.

"My apologies, Ms. Lulamoon." I responded as she acknowledged and turned around, walking into the large building proudly named 'Center Hall'. I walked ahead of Ms. Lulamoon and opened the door and motioned her in politely.

"Well... Thank you." She said, surprised a bit and a bit happy and proud that she had such a nice servant.

I had hoped every servant was as close to having such high standards as I do... But knowing humans, I doubt it. I shifted my coat a bit and stuck my hands behind my back, crossed in respect as I admired the architecture and lavish interior.

"My my, what a lovely building." I commented to myself as Ms. Lulamoon walked up to the receptionist.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie is here to see the mayor now." She proudly stated as I slapped my head and sighed in disgust. The receptionist filed through her appointments, running her hoof down the list as she began to hum in rejection.

"Mmm... What was your name again?" She asked as I took a step forward.

"Trixie Dazzle Lulamoon." I said as my master looked up at me in confusion.

"Mmm... No. I don't see the name on the list. Sorry." She said, shrugging.

"But Trixie demands she see the mayor! She has an appointment, assuredly!" She demanded as I sighed in disappointment. I looked up and mouthed the words, 'Father, what has become of me?' and then shook my head in disgust.

"Bu-But I have an appointment! She's expecting to see me in 20 minutes!" She tried again as the receptionist wouldn't budge. "As the rules are, nopony sees the mayor without an appointment."

"Bu-" My master started as I tapped her, looking at her to stop.

"We have an appointment. I bet you my life that the mayor is expecting us soon. Either give us a pass, or I decide to make one myself." I said as she opened her mouth, "Be wise in your descision." I glared at her seriously and dangerously as she gave me a wide-eyed look.

"And I doubt security would ever work on me." I said as she called security anyway.

And then I was thrown out first, landing on the sidewalk and catching Ms. Lulamoon in my arms as she looked at me and blushed, scrambling out of my arms.

"Well how infuriating! The Great and Powerful Trixie is enraged!" She growled and yelled in anger as her eyes lit up and spoke of terrible deeds.

"Hm..." I began to ponder as I looked at the wall that was next to the door... Very able to be scaled.

"Master? Do you mind if I... Try my way?" I asked as she glared at me.

"Oh what does it matter, I could care less at this moment!" She yelled at me as I grunted in annoyance and looked at the wall. I backed up a few meters and began running towards the wall. I jumped onto the wall, bouncing off and landing onto the platform left of the window to the mayor's office.

"Alright. Phase one complete..." I told myself as my master almost fell off her hooves in amazment.

"WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO?!" She questioned loudly as I shook my head.

"Lot's of things, if you would let me." I grumbled to myself as I opened the window and leaped in, catching the surprise of the mayor and her bodyguards.

I tumbled onto the ground and stood straight up, expecting a fight.

"Watch it, boys." I held up my index finger at the guards and the mayor fell out of her chair. "A-A HUMAN?!" She questioned loudly as I nodded.

"I'm terribly sorry, ma'am, we could not find a set time with you." I respectfully addressed her.

"W-Who are you?!" She demanded.

"I am the servant of Trixie Dazzle Lulamoon... 'The Great and Powerful Trixie'?" I said as she exhaled in relief.

"Oh thank goodness... I though you were some villain." She said as I shook my head side to side.

"Heavens no... We were not able to get in the conventional way, so... I decided for the _unconventional_ way, ma'am."

"Leave us." She told the bodyguards as they hesitantly moved but soon enough left.

"So..." She started, giving me a slow once over,"... Where is she?" She asked as I pointed behind me with my thumb.

"Down... There." I said as I walked over to the window and heard a sigh from behind me.

"MS. LULAMOON!" I addressed her as she looked up.

"I DID IT!" I said, making her retract in disbelief.

"YOU CAN COME UP NOW!" I told her as she shook her head and walked inside the doors...

 _ **Trixie's POV...**_

I walked inside the doors of the building, shocked in disbelief at how easily he fixed the problem. He was like the solution to every situation... Through all the time I've had him I've never met another human or pony able to fix a problem so easily...

And never met a one so... Strong and... Masculine. I'm surprised he isn't asked out... But he is a human, and the Laws of Humanity forbid it. I hugged the wall and found myself sneaking past the receptionist and past the guards. I used my magic to create a bubble of invisibility, after straining quite hard, I finally the magic spell, able to walk through the guards undetected.

I walked up the stairs, careful not to bump into anypony, as they would instantly call security. I slithered quietly past the corner of the end of the stairs and looked at the two sets of stairs, one going left, and one going right, up to a central balcony that I sure was the mayors room.

I walked to the right set of stairs and trotted up the flights of stairs, reaching the room and deactivating my cloak, making myself look ready for the mayor, opening the door quietly as I walked in, Trixie and all. "Ma'am please don't. I-I can't. I-It's against Equestrian law!" He begged as I looked at him bumped up against a wall.

"C'mon... I'll make it quick." She smirked and approached him slowly as I addressed the situation by clearing my throat and making the mayor jump and turn around.

"W-Who are you?" She cleared her throat.

"I, am the Great and Powerful Trixie, making the appointment." I announced as I looked at Michael, who was hugging the wall and sliding over to me slowly, his frightened eyes never leaving the mayor as she eyed him hungrily.

"Trixie Dazzle Lulamoon?" The mayor repeated my name as I sighed.

"Yes, if you will." I grumbled as Michael reached me, out of breath and trembling heavily.

"What in the world... Could I have a moment?" I asked the mayor as she nodded.

"What is wrong with you?" I asked, maintaining my proud side without revealing my care.

"I-I-I... I don't want to talk about it. Just get this over with." He breathed fearfully as I retracted in surprise as I rarely heard him order me.

" _I'm_ the one in charge here, remember?" I said to him through clenched teeth.

"Yes, yes, I understand... I'm sorry." He nodded, his head shining with sweat and his chest rising and lowering faster than the rods on the wheels of a locomotive train.

I walked past him, my pity going out to him as I cared for him deeply, even more so than I should... But I was afraid to show it.

"We are done. Trixie now gives you her full attention." I stated as the mayor nodded.

"Well. Let's get started... I see that you are a star performer in downtown areas. I've heard many things about you... And I wouldn't mind seeing a magic show." She said as she looked at Michael and fluttered her wings.

"Yes... Trixie would be delighted to put on a show for the mayor... It would not go without it's advantages." I said as I looked for Michael.

I cranked my head straight around and saw him practically cowering in a corner all alone, making me sad as I waved him over here. He shook his head before I gave him a serious glare, pointing to the chair next to me as he shook with fear and slowly walked over to the chair and sat down, not looking at me or the mayor. "What is the matter with you?!" I slapped his arm as he looked at me and then the mayor, before looking straight down as I realized that the mayor had trained eyes on him.

"I see you are one of the privileged ponies to have a human servant..." She stared at Michael with half-lidded eyes as I realized what was going on here.

"Yes... He is faithful and loyal to me. Being as how he's very skilled with his body, since he practically made this building look like a snap." I smirked, showing off for him, unbeknowest to me making her want my servant even more.

My Michael.

"What is his name?" She asked as I slapped his arm quickly.

"M-Michael I. D-Dreamr-rider." He stuttered as the mayor sighed.

"Mmm... Pretty name. How long have you had him?" She asked as I pondered by putting my hoof to my chin and looking up.

"Hmm... Almost a year now. He's grown quite a bit..." I said as the mayor nodded. "How old is he?" She asked as I shrugged.

I slapped his arm and looked at him as I saw his hand covering his face by his eyebrows like a sun visor.

"Si..." He mumbled as I rolled my eyes.

"He's about 27, 28." I shrugged in assuredness I was right.

"Right?" I asked him as he replied, "Seve-Seventeen" He blurted as my jaw dropped in surprise.

I never even considered anything past 24. But 18?! That's unheard of! He's practically a boy!... Well... Not really. He's surprisingly mature for his age, and well kept in shape with a killer body.

"Ooh... Tight and young." The mayor said to herself as I looked back and shrugged.

"I never knew he was so young." I looked at him as the mayor cleared her throat.

"I have to ask... Since I have been needing a good servant... Do you consider him somepony who you could... Maybe sell?" She asked as I looked back at her in confusion.

"You want to _buy_ him from me?" I repeated her implied meaning.

"Well... Yes. For a handsome price." She said as she began writing down something in her checkbook.

"Well I bought him... For quite a sum of 78,000 bits. He was expensive indeed... In fact... He's the most expensive ever recorded, to my knowledge. But I wanted the best... And I did my research." I finished and the mayor looked at me.

"Would... This meet your needs?" She showed me a check for... 120,000 BITS?!

"WAH!" I fell off my chair and hit the ground, dizzy, as unbeknowest to me Michael instantly tended to my needs by grabbing my left hoof firmly with his left hand and using his right hand to wrap around my back and prop me up.

"Ms. Lulamoon? Are you well?" He asked as I blinked a few times to see the loving and caring face of Michael.

"Y-Yes." I replied as I sat back down and looked at the check as if it was calling me.

"Well? Do you accept?" She asked as Michael looked confused as to what was going on.

"Well... I don't know... I-I mean it's-" I started but was cut off by the mayor,

"Maybe... This?" She asked as I saw a check for 180,000 bit check, my mind going numb at the large amount of money involved. That could buy me a better house _and_ 3 human servants!

"I could buy myself 3 or 4 servants with that money!" I said to myself aloud as the mayor felt confident inside that the deal was sealed.

"Who do I make this out to?" She asked as I chuckled nervously.

"Well, that's so much! I mean that... Michael..." I trailed off as I looked at Michael's loving and caring face as he fearfully looked at the check and trembled.

"I... Michael is one-of-a-kind... I-I don't think I could sell him... For anything." I said as the mayor sighed.

"I can-"

"No... I've made my mind. Michael is not for sale... I've learned that he is too valuable and certainly is worth more." I said as the mayor nodded in defeat.

"Well... If that is how you feel... It was nice meeting you." She said as I nodded and replied the same.

"A pleasure as well." I said as I stood up from the chair and Michael doing the same.

"You will be there for the show, correct?" I asked as the mayor nodded in reply.

"Good." I nodded and we walked out of the mayor's office and out of the building.

"Oh god thank you so much!" Michael clung to me once we walked out and embraced me.

"Wha-What are you doing?!" I panicked as he didn't stop.

"Thank you so much for holding onto me, Trixie - I mean ms. Lulamoon. I will never forget it." He said as he stopped hugging me and wiped the tears from his eyes and looked down at me.

"Oh... Thank you." I said. That was the first time he called me Trixie...

And I liked it...

"Shall we be off?" He asked, motioning towards the carridge.

"Yes... We have a show to perform." I replied and walked behind him as he picked me up again and carried me over to the carriage. He opened the door and let me down inside, climbing in once I got situated. I never knew another human who would do that for a master voluntarily...

I really did have a one-of-a-kind, didn't I?... Hm. I believe when I said I made my mind up I meant it for a good long time... I doubt I would sell him for anything. He's... different. And the things he speaks of, his trials, errors, and the prophecies he spoke of were... Awesome, at least. If the prophecy was correct, then... I had one of the most powerful humans in the world in my grasp.

And I was not going to let go so easily.

"Ms. Lulamoon?" Michael addressed me as I looked up to him.

"Since the show is in 4 days, when would you like to start preparing?" He asked me as I made my mind up.

"2 days before. We really don't have _that_ much to prepare for, anyways." I replied as he nodded.

"Acknowledged." He finished as he wrote it down in his small notepad.

"Michael, have us depart to my home." I told him as he nodded and climbed out the window halfway to tell the stagecoach of our desired destination.

"Home it is, sir." The stagecoach replied as Michael climbed back into the carriage.

"We are en route." He said as I silently acknowledged and looked out the window as he layed down and folded his hands over his stomach and remained silent. I looked out and thought of what would become of me, now that I was becoming more and more popular.

Would I continue on and play in the major concerts, or would I... Become famous in the city I am currently in for my career?... I believe that a career without accomplishment is no career at all. I would join the major concert auditioners and try my skill on the stage.

After all, I am the Great and Powerful Trixie. Of course I am! Who can replace me?

"Who can replace me?" I repeated aloud as Michael looked at me.

"No one, right now." He said as I looked at him.

"Of course not! I am the Great and Powerful Trixie! Being bested is not an option!" I declared as Michael nodded subtly.

"Well... It's not just that. There will always people better that others. It's just the way the world works... But no one can replace _**you**_. You are special in your own way. Everyone is born with a set talent... That's why cutie marks are so different. You have a special and distinct mark of talent."

"No one can tell you your not special." He looked into my eyes seriously.

"Don't _EVER_ let someone else tell you what you can and cannot do. Your dream is just within reach."

"Only you can grab onto it and hold fast... And don't ever let go, you hear me?!" He looked at me as my jaw hung open at his sudden philosophy. I've never felt better about myself... He made me feel so... Amazing. Alive... So... Confident and... talented.

Only my parents have ever made me feel the same, and even then it wasn't the same... I swear, if he was a pony... I'd be over him in a second.

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have said that. Sometimes I get carried away when I remember my time with my humans..." He apologized to me and then spoke to himself.

"No... That was fine... I quite enjoyed the little chat." I replied as he nodded.

"Thanks. It's nice to know _someone_ still listens to me... Oh, we have arrived." He said as I looked out the window and smiled at my house. Not the best, but definetly a good and stable house. In fact, Michael actucally installed a home-made air conditioning system. He installed small fans on every window without disturbing the window sight.

On the flick of a switch they would all silently turn on and make not a sound. He bought the best he could find, in that size. He opened the door for me and let me out first. After we climbed out he shut the door and grabbed the things stuck inside the trunk of the carriage. He grabbed them and walked behind me as I jingled my keys for a moment and stuck the right one in the door and twisted it, hearing the satisfiying sound of an unlocked door.

I opened the door and walked in, Michael following me as he kicked the door shut gently and put the cases down, taking his shoes off and walking in. He stretched for a moment, making me turn around and watch him take his coat off. He always looked so much more... Muscular without the coat. His shirt was now always tight-fitting because of his muscles he had built over the period of time he exercised.

I've never seen such a strong creature before. I conclude that he could easily benchpress 180 pounds. I've seen him do it many times.

"Alright..." He said to himself as he hung his coat on the coatrack and looked at me.

"Do you wish something?" He asked respectfully as I shook my head out of my daze.

"No. Trixie does not require anything at the moment." I replied as he nodded in acknowledgement.

"I will be... I don't know. I'll be in the main room if you need me, Ms Lulamoon." He said as I nodded once and he walked past me. He sat down and put his feet up on the ottoman as he sighed in relief when he sat down.

"God I love this house." He said to himself as I smiled inside. I knew I made the right choices.

But now I had to plan for the show...

I am the Great and Powerful Trixie, aren't I?

 **End of Chapter 1**

 **Hm... I always think my stories can use improvement, so leave your comments in the review if you want.**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **'Til next time?**


	2. Regretful Mistake

**And here we are again for the** _ **second**_ **chapter installment of** _ **The Last Dreamrider**_ **.**

 **Where heroes (I think) are born from absolutely nothing... But to be honest, isn't that how** _ **all**_ **heroes should/have start(ed) out? I mean, it's not like Superman was born into a rich family, or Scooby-Doo, or somethin' along those lines,** **right?**

 **I just hope my story holds out with you guys and gals.**

 **Enjoy...**

 **Regretful Mistake...**

"Oh where did I put that stupid sheet?" I heard Trixie fume as she began to relentlessly try and find the schedule sheet.

"Ms. Lulamoon? Try looking in your saddlebag." I said, pointing as she waved me off.

"I already looked there. It isn't there." She said as I nodded but insisted that I look myself.

I shuffled around the saddlebag and found deep inside a small folded sheet that I know if the schedule sheet.

"Ms. Lulamoon? I found it." I said as she walked in the room.

"Oh thank heavens, where did you find it?" She asked as I pointed to her saddlebag.

"But I searched there already!" She whined annoyingly as she gritted her teeth as I handed her the sheet and shrugged.

"You must put a _little_ more effort into such things. Such problems may not seem like much now, but later it will amount. Trust me, I know." I said as she gave me a look of non-amusment as I shrugged as closed my eyes, shaking my head in my own self disappointment.

"Oh heavens sake's what am I doing?" I thought aloud to myself as I slapped the temple of my head and shook my head some more.

"I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't correct you." I scolded myself and looked down. T'was only by the grace of my master I was here... Though humans were quite rare and I believe that getting rid of me would have a serious negative effect on her...

But she didn't know that... And neither would she... You could consider it my... 'Bargaining _Chip_ '. Lord knows I need one... But what use I would have for it would still yet be unveiled. As for right now, I just needed to live life... But only as long as I could not find a new opportunity... I would at first chance take life by the horns and choose what _**I**_ , Michael I. Dreamrider, wanted to do.

I want to reunite with my fellow humans to lead the human race to a peaceful agreement with the ponykind after a serious reprimand on Equestria's part... If by any measure you interpret that as a threat to them, then by all means, yes. You interpreted right.

Ponykind will be forced under human rule once _**I'm**_ in charge. These ponies have no right to tell us humans what we can and cannot do. These ponies will experience the very same thing that we have and will... But this time, Humanity will _not_ be so kind. Humans are only able to take so much before absolute chaos... And absolute chaos it is. Humanity is now on the survival mindset... If I am right, they believe that life is now precious, and that survival means everything... I don't know how they managed to survive...

But damnit all, I'm going to eliminate the feeling of constant threat, once and for all. The humans, including myself, are never allowed to sleep at night comfortably... We have to remain conscious, sleeping with 'one eye open', per se... Even myself. I don't know when an anti-Human pony will come in through the night and assassinate me...

As many of my fellow humans have before... I had 7 friends... Now all dead from brutal and ruthless assassinations... I don't know what they got into, if even they did... But now I was the last of our little group in this sector... Our _nationwide_ little group...

The Dreamriders.

We are comprised of humans who sought out other humans to help with their problems and trials, seeking out work to do for other humans, telling them of the prophecy of The First Dreamrider and explaining it to them more clearly, and most importantly, asking them if they wanted to join our little group... Once they did they would swear complete secrecy to the Plan of Order... The Plan of Order is exactly what it sounds like. We would reunite the Humans as a whole, bringing peace and order to our race, and to destroy the Laws of Humanity, making the Equestrian Empire fall to it's knees...

Of course, the group would not be without a leader... And again, of course led by yours truly,

The Dreamrider himself. Most people considered me a living god. I didn't, and I would correct those who thought that. I wasn't a god. I wasn't a superbeing, or anything. I was just some guy who wanted justice served their way... The cold way.

The _hard_ way...

... But for now, I would remain a simple human... Destined for things greater and higher. What I would give for-

*SLAP*

"AHHG!" I yelped and jumped at once as I looked to see Ms. Lulamoon staring at me, teeth clenched together and narrowed eyebrows staring me down to size. But I also gave her a steely glare of anger.

"DON'T look at me like _that_! You never LISTEN to me!" She said as I sighed in disappointment, shaking my head as she looked at me and gave me a cocky grin.

"Was that a sigh?" She asked as I looked at her strangely, only seeing her like this twice.

And the second time I was burned with magic. "I-"

"DON'T GIVE ME THAT! YOUR LUCKY I'M STILL YOUR MASTER! I DON'T ASK MUCH, BUT WHAT I DO ASK FOR IS COMEPLETE ATTENTION AND RESPECT!" She screamed at me as I knew _this_ time it wasn't important... At least to me.

"Why must you be so impatient?! Do your fans not give you proper attention?!" I asked her seriously as she slapped me again, giving me the same burning sensation.

"How DARE you! How _DARE_ you!" She attempted to strike me again, but clearly _she,_ was out of line. I grabbed her hoof and looked at her seriously.

"Don't make a mistake your likely to regret." I stared her down with devoted and committed eyes as she burned my hand with her magic, transfering her hoof into a fireball.

"Ah!" I exclaimed as I rectracted my hand and held it in pain as she shoved me into a wall and grabbed my throat to yield my violence... Or because of her anger. I began to feel my extremities slowly fail and yield any use at all as my vision slowly became foggy, and my breathing halt.

But this was a mistake on her part... You see, I'm the type of man who if you inflict more harm to me, I do not retract, but I cause harm to the aggressor. The more you inflict, the more I inflict. I desparatly grabbed her hoof but then grabbed her throat as well and clenched hard as her grip lessened and lessened. At this point, anger flowed through me like a passionate and vigorous desire, as she began to gasp for air.

My eyes then glowed like fire, the inside of my mouth glowed like lava as I looked at her with a cocked head and concerned look.

 **"What's wrong?..."** I started, looking at her seriously, **"... You don't seem well... Something bothering you?"** I asked her sarcastically as I put my mouth to her ear.

 **"I... Don't... Like... Your... Actions..."**

 **"... You should be dead by now, but I have mercy for those incompetent about the truth..."** I whispered into her ear with the voice of a demon, **"... So consider this your lesson of truth..."** I smirked and looked at her, giving her a small kiss on the cheek as I let go and returned my expression to serious, my fiery outlook fading as I saw her on the ground, gasping for air as it slowly returned. I reached behind me and put my thick leather coat on, readying if I needed to leave.

She looked at me with terror-filled eyes as I reached down and healed her wounds, making it impossible for any trial to hold against no evidence against me... No evidence, no trial, which means no imprisonment... Hm. I looked at the door and then down at her again.

"You are at my total and utter mercy... But my piece has been said." I finished as I picked her up, slinging her arms over my shoulder and hearing her mutter words. "Help... Me..." She breathed as I chuckled lightly.

I walked over to her bedroom and placed her down onto the bed and looked at her.

"Oh Ms. Lulamoon... If only you knew..." I clicked my tongue in slight sadness as I noticed her beginning to pass out.

"Don't worry, I' will take care of-"

*ZAP*

"-you..." I said to myself as I looked around in fear, realizing that I stood in the midst of the city I so despised, the city of Royals and the city of Princess Celestia and Luna.

Canterlot Capital.

"HEY!" I heard behind me as a pair of guards ran up to me and grabbed my wrist and arm.

"What are you doing here without a master?!" He asked as I looked at them both.

"Princess Celestia?" I addressed behind them as they looked back and I jolted away from them, pulling the oldest trick in the book on them as I ran and ran.

I realized that Trixie herself had condemned me and placed me in my worst of nightmare scenarios.

"AFTER HIM! DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY!" He screamed as another pair of guards bolted towards me, this time being pegasus rather than a unicorn and earth pony.

"Oh crap." I said to myself as I leaped up two barrels and onto the roof, leaping from building to building as I noticed how close these buildings were from the Canterlot Castle.

Where my nightmare resided.

"GOTCHA!" One said as they grabbed my arm and I slugged him in the nose, causing a broken nose as well as a large nose bleed as he flew back and fell to the ground, grunting and screaming all the way as the other pegasi stabbed me in the left shoulder with his metal spear, making me scream in pain as he twisted the spear out the other side, making me stumble onto a roof, hitting my shoulder all the way.

I pulled out my large, 7-inch combat knife I forged from my own time and resources and leaped onto him, stabbing down into his left eye and into his skull as I got up and pulled the spear out slowly.

"AAAAAAGGGGHHHHRRRRRRAAAA JESUS CHRIST!" I screamed and wailed, my tears flowing as I finally pulled it out and tossed it onto the ground, sheathing my knife in the sheath located on my left shoulderblade.

I looked behind me to see two more pegasi diving after me as I grabbed the pole and threw it at them, causing them to split up and dodge the spear, giving me a few extra seconds as I lept to the next establishment and then lept down to what seemed like a large glass dome... Quite large indeed. I found myself attacked from two pegasi who came from my right and my left, as I looked down.

"Damn." I grunted as I stomped down onto the glass dome, cracking it as the two pegasi reached within 7 feet of me before I cracked through the glass and fell to my doom.

But I was blessed and received a large tree to stop my fall momentarily as I fell from that tree about 20 feet down and onto the ground on my back and noticing the second pegasi diving down at me, I rolled to the right and let him land hooves first into the ground as I pulled my knife from it's sheath and stabbed the right side of his neck, blood spurting out as I yanked it out and turned around to notice a large and flourishing garden which reminded me an awful lot like the Canterlot Castle's own Royal Garden.

But I couldn't... I shouldn't... And I certainly wouldn't.

I heard air wooshing as I turned around and narrowly dodged a spear to my gut as I stopped the pegasi mid-flight and grabbed the back of his neck as I whirled the knife into his head and twisted, pulling it out and letting the body go and leaving a thud once it hit the ground as I turned around instinctively to see 9 more ponies standing in horror as I realized that I made a grave and fatal mistake.

These were no ordinary ponies.

Four of them were not just ponies...

These were Alicorns. _Princess_ Alicorns.

"Oh shit." I said to myself as I backed up and stumbled over a body as they stood, shocked at my efforts and horrified at the scene... But I trained for these encounters. I was not afraid of the punishment. I looked up to see 4 more pegasi flooding down as I then was tackled by another from behind me as I landed on top of it and was ready for another skull-stabbing.

But this was no pony.

This was now a human.

"WHO ARE YOU?! WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?!" I screamed at him as the pegasi stood back, aware of my power.

"I'M NOT SURE!" He screamed back as I gritted my teeth.

"WELL THEN YOUR NOT ON MINE!" I screamed as he winced in preparation of death as he held his hands up.

"WAIT!" He yelped as the knife stopped a few inches from his head and I pulled him up from his neck, throwing him to the pegasi.

I turned around and began to run the other direction as I knew their was no way out... Unless I found a way. I grabbed a rock from a creek and threw it to the glass 20 feet from me as it practically didn't even scratch it. I turned around slowly to see four pegasi approaching me as I ran towards them but juked them and ran to the left side and dodged them altogether.

I ran back to my original spot, my shoulder throbbing in pain as I turned around and backed up, weary and aware of the weapons they wielded.

"Stop." I heard behind me as they immediately stopped but remained ready to fight.

"If you can't stop him... Then I will." I heard behind me as I looked over my wounded shoulder to see the alabaster white alicorn known as Princess Celestia, with a very angry expression adorn on her face.

"Who are you, human?" She said, her magic encompassing me as she held her hoof up and choked me with her magic, the gold aura surrounding me.

"You come into my place, my _home_ , and you bring destruction with you... Killing my little ponies as you see fit, is that what you do? A human minister of death?" She asked as I remained silent.

My eyes and inner mouth began to glow like lava again, but this time along with the inside of my skin, like someone was flashing a flashlight inside. I looked like I was made of pure lava. At this point in time, her magic began to faulter and quit as she looked at her hoof in a troubled way.

 **"Who are you... To question fate?"** I asked as she gritted her teeth and lept onto me, holding my hands and fighting against me.

 **"I am but a humble minister of justice... And your time..."** I started as I smirked.

 **"Is over."** I headbutted her as she retracted, giving me the upperhand as I rushed past her and towards the door that lay in front of my freedom.

"Don't you dare." She said as I stopped dead in my tracks. I turned around only to see a large ball of magic hurtling towards me as it slammed into me and exploded, making the other ponies run for safety.

I now felt as if every bone in my body was broken, and my glow was gone.

"Aww... Damnit..." I whined as I tried to get up but failed several times. The white Princess walked over to me and grabbed my throat and smirked.

"What a pity. I was in need of a good servant." She said as I was at her mercy. "Sister, wait." I heard a voice as my vision was blurry.

"Don't you see?" She asked as Celestia grunted.

"See what?!" She said through clenched teeth.

"This is no ordinary human... This is _**the**_ human. The human that the prophecies predicted... He came in such a way, as he was only one to defend himself. Your stone-cold guards are thick-headed, indeed..."

"Oh please, just let me kill him." She remained a tunnel-vision as her sister shoved her with her hoof.

"The prophecy is to have said that one of pure heart and soul would one day mate with us. Giving us the seed so that we might bear offspring and continue the lineage!" She said as Celestia looked at her sister and then and me again.

"But they say of a PONY!" She growled as her sister shook her head.

"They never specify! They said that he would come as a warrior, fighting his way to victory as he was though of a kind and wise one, who would one day be our mates!" Her sister, Luna stated a bit more as Celestia looked at her sister a little while longer this time.

"I have a hunch, dear sister. My hunches are never wrong... And I'll be damned if I wrong this time." She said as Celestia let me go and I fell to the ground on my side, rolling onto my back.

"How would you know this?!" She asked her sister, Luna as she rolled her eyes.

"I know these things. I've read the prophecies declared by our own mother and even our father! They predicted these things so, it's in our blood! If you kill him now, we will die off as a race and then the Equestrian Empire will be unstable... Who will we leave these crowns to?" She asked as we heard a loud crack from the stone as I looked up and saw a large chunk, the size of me or larger, chip off.

"LOOK OUT!" Luna screamed as I then saw nothing but darkness...

 _ **Canterlot Castle... Room 7; 1:34 AM...**_

... I lay in this bed, awakened by the touch of night creeping it's way into my bed as I opened my groggy eyes and blinked a few times to relieve myself of the blurry picture. I set my gaze upon the moon which shown through the windows, the wind caressing the drapes which had been set aside to let the cool breeze flow throughtout the room.

I layed, stunned at my surroundings as I jerked to the left to get off the bed, forgetting of my previous injury but now remembering after quite a sum of encouragement from the pain that shot through me as I fell off the bed and landed with a thud, almost screaming from the sheer pain.

Almost.

I layed on my face as I put my forearms out to prop myself up, but to no avail. I stopped when I heard the sound of slippered hooves walking across the floor as I could do nothing but think for the moment. I looked at the bed and instinctively slid painfully under it as I then straightened myself out, looking at the moonlight blue slippers which were worn by said pony. The hooves stopped at the bed as I layed praying not to be found...

... Or maybe that I needed help?... Hm. My brow filled with sweat as I looked at the hoof which grabbed the drape and lifted it up, as a face came into view with the tip of the horn light gently to see the underside of the bed. I whimpered in fear as I looked away and slid farther back.

She could crush me in an instant. I didn't take well to higher-power citizens, or the rulers, god forbid.

"What are you doing under there? Out of bed?" She asked as I was careful not to make eye contact.

"Come out. It's cold under there, and you don't need a flu as well." I heard in a slight English-accented voice as a hoof reached out but I didn't take the bait.

Nor would I.

"I said, _come out_." She pryed again, but all efforts failed as I layed there, trembling and fearful. These princessess were not happy with humans. They themselves approved of the Laws of Humanity, deeming them prejudice against the humans... And that is why I am so scared.

I broke many of the Laws. And could immediately be killed...

She shook her head and rolled her eyes as the sound of a large door opening up and the sound of another pony walked in.

This one, alabaster skin and golden slippers for footwear... I almost cried in horror when I saw the feet of my some-day killer. I feared that those hooves were the last thing I'd ever see.

"Where is he?" A stone-cold, female voice asked as I swallowed hard. Luna popped her head back up and walked over.

"Under the bed... He's much too scared." She said as I hoped for her not to speak of that.

"Oh really? He has the gaul to assault me and then hides under a bed?! Ha! What a coward." She stated as my blood boiled but was then cooled off as she walked over and stood over the side of the bed.

"I'm giving you 3 seconds to come out from under there before I make you."

"3."

"2."

"1."

She sighed then used her magic and dragged me out from under the bed, as I whimpered at her feet, exposed and weak.

"Tsk. The mightest of humans... Now a cowering blob of mass." She said in a snobby way.

"Looks like your _human_ isn't all what he's chalked up to be." She said as she then kicked me hard in the side, making me roll over as I'm sure that bruised or even broke a rib as I winced and strained in pain.

"Aghss!" I hissed and reeled in pain as I slammed my fist down on the ground and Luna stood, shocked. "Why... Are you surprised?!" I growled through clenched teeth at Celestia's sister.

"W-what?" She stuttered, unsure of whether I was speaking to her.

"THIS IS WHO SHE IS!" I screamed at Luna but stared into Celestia's eyes with steely resolve as Celestia smirked and scoffed. She picked me up with her hoof wrapped around my hoof and slammed up up against a wall as Luna lept forwards but slammed into Celestia's block field, magic and all.

"How dare you slander my name... In front of my own sister?" She looked at me with pure hatred running through her eyes and into my heart.

"I speak... Of the... TRUTH!" I grunted as I tried to pry her iron grip off of me as she laughed. "Your so full of horse-buck, you've fooled your _SELF!_ " She seethed as she slammed me into the wall again.

"Sister! Stop! Please!" Luna begged as Celestia budged not an inch.

"Oh please, dear sister, it's not like you've never been wrong." She told her, turning her head as I grabbed for my knife in the sheath located on the nightstand. She turned back around as I smirked.

"Well then, it's not like your ever right." I smirked and 'drew a blank' as I stabbed her in the side of the head, blood spurting out the side as I pulled the knife out.

She fell limp, her grasp ceasing as she fell to the ground in one loud thud... I shook my head in uncertainty as I looked at the dripping blood on the knife. I couldn't believe what I had just done as I dropped the knife onto the ground with a clang as held my hand as Luna looked at me in horror.

"Oh no... Why did you do THAT?!" She looked at the body as the blood and parts began to reform into Celestia's head, the blood on the knife being sucked off and finally her head pieced back together as Celestia's eyes were white snow, glowing with a sense of magic.

" _ **YOU...**_ " She growled as I looked at her in fear and horror.

"Sister don't!" Luna exclaimed as Celestia picked up my weapon and thrusted it towards me, but then the knife stopped a half-inch away. I shut my eyes in regret as I opened the left one, looking at the knife in suspension as it was dangerously close.

"Your... Your right.." Celestia said, looking back at her sister as Luna and me gave her strange looks as to why her attitude changed in moments.

"This is much too _quick_." She said as Celestia looked back at me and smirked.

"An eye for an eye, human." She growled as she grabbed the knife with her hoof and plunged it into my left eye and twisted as I screamed in pain, the stabbing, bleeding pain.

"GAAAAAAHHHH HAAA AAAHHHH!" I wailed in pain as I tried to stop her by pushing her away, but finally she let me go and I dropped to the ground, the knife still in my eye as she pulled it out, my sliced eye coming out with it.

"I doubt very much that _you_ are the chosen one... You will be executed in one week. Consider yourself lucky as so." She said as the field disappeared and she walked away from me, dropping the knife in front of me to make me stare at my impaled eye as Luna knelt over me.

I cried in pain as I strained and broke a blood vessel in my neck, making it sore as well.

"I'M SORRY, JUST MAKE IT _STOOOP_!" I screamed as I then whimpered in pure pain, the feeling of my left eye, now nothing more than a memory.

"Oh my... Oh my god." Luna looked at me, her expression all but horrified as I looked away and growled while panting. I set my gaze back onto the pony who was walking away, as I looked at the knife and grabbed it again, all previous pain fading away like a forgetful memory.

I gripped the knife and screamed as I ran towards Celestia, leaping onto her as she turned around mid-flight and landed onto her back as I plunged the knife into her head again and stood back up as I saw guards rushing towards me from both sides.

 **"COME O** **OO** **N! BRING IT TO ME** **EE** **!"**

I awoke harshly to the distant scream of... Something... But as to what, I had no idea... Strange. The castle is... Quite large and far off the ground, I doubt _ANY_ sound would break through... Hmm... Makes me wonder, y'know? I never _really_ liked living in castles as much as I thought I would, but I still miss the little red oak tree-house.

Homely... Y'know? It's warm surroundings could never be replaced by that of a castle. Castles were for ponies and other who enjoyed the high life.

Don't get me wrong, living in a castle with the six greatest friends in the whole wide world is _AMAZING_ to say the least, it's just... I never imagined living in a castle, and neither did I even consider the notion. I mean it's not like I thought, 'Hey someday I'll live in a castle!'.

Who thinks about that on a daily or even weekly basis? Nopony! Are you kidding me? Castles are for royalty, fancy-insane-rich ponies, and those in HUGE amounts of power. Like royalty. Princess Celestia, her sister, and Princess Cadenza are the only ones who live in a castle because of royalty.

I don't know nothin' about her servant, that Jacob-Something or whatever, but he must enjoy living there. The Princess is so nice, I mean, who wouldn't enjoy her company? I would. Anyone who didn't would either be mad, prejudice, or just plain dumb.

She's done so much for others, I don't think she even has time to _think_ about the things she wants... Safe to say the same about her sister. I mean she doesn't have _as_ many, as she _is_ the younger sister... but she has her responsibilities. She has the moon to take care of, she has the many, many tasks of small importance to take care of that Celestia couldn't or else be overwhelmed.

Though the little things are not without strenuous work as well. One little thing here, another there, soon there's dozens of these little tasks to be done. But as though all those in royalty, (Princesses Celestia, Luna, and Cadenza), do share the militaristic knowledge of the country as well as those militaristic leaders.

Who am I kidding, it's not easy to be a princess... Or a prince. But prince would be cool. I could do whatever I want! At the mercy of another, ha-ha!

"Spike?"

"AHH!" I jolted as I looked behind me to see Twilight looking to me with a groggy expression, bed-mane and all.

"What are you doing up so late? Why aren't you asleep?" She asked as I looked at the ground and scratched my head.

"Something... Ehh... Woke me up. I then got thinking 'bout stuff... Did I wake you up?" I asked as I pointed to her with my claw.

"No," She started and shook her head, "I was woken up as well. I don't know why, but something feels strange... I don't know what it is."

"Me neither... Now I'm hungry." I replied as Twilight nodded, "Me too." She agreed as we looked at each other for a moment before our stomachs growled. We giggled silently and covered our mouths as we moved silently towards the kitchen. We took a left, then a right, and a right again before I opened the large door and moved in silently as Twilight followed.

She shut the door and then we stood side-by-side, looking at the large, castle-like kitchen as we tried to figure out what we wanted. I guess we were so focused on hungry that we forgot what we felt like.

"I feel like soup, what about you?" She asked me as I shrugged.

"Sandwich, I guess." I nodded as I looked at her and she nodded as well.

"Well then let's get to work." She said as I smirked and nodded. Grabbing all the necessary condiments for a good sandwich included, but not limited to; Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes, some spices, maybe some Brussels sprouts, and finally, but not least, some crystal bits for flavor.

Can't forget those bits. Mm mm, they are _good_. Then I grabbed a knife from the kitchen drawer, (once I found it), and began putting on the necessary condiments for the sandwich.

"Alrighty..." I patted myself on the back as I began expertly spreading them and adding the seasonings. "How is your soup going?" I asked as I looked over my shoulder. "Good... Just a few more minutes." She smiled as I stopped what I was doing and grabbed a bit of water, adding in a bit of ruby bits for that sweet flavor.

And it fizzes in your mouth, too. I sipped it a bit and placed it down next to the plate before I exhaled in satisfaction and resumed my making a sandwich as I stopped to think of why I felt so strange.

"What are you both doing?" We heard a voice as we jumped to see a groggy Rainbow Dash, her feathers ruffling as she squinted her eyes in tiredness and extended her neck.

"Um..." Twilight began as I took over.

"We're just making some food. Y'know, midnight snack?" I said as Twilight nodded.

"Yeah." She finished as Dash nodded.

"Okay. It's just that you two made some noise, I decided to check it out, that's all." She replied.

But that was not why I felt so strange.

"Twilight, do you feel strange at all?" I asked her as Dash looked at us strangely.

"N... Y... Yeah?" She stopped and looked at me over her shoulder.

"Why do you ask?" She petitioned as I shrugged.

"I dunno... I guess it was that human thing little while ago..." I shrugged as Dash walked into the conversation.

"You mean... _That_ human thing?" She asked as Twilight responded.

"Yeah... I've never seen a human move like that... Nor have I ever seen a human so strong-willed at what he was doing... It's as if he wasn't stopped, he'd take over the whole country, single-hoofedly... Strange." I heard as I chimed in.

"Yeah... But he looks familiar. I've seen him at 4 auctions already. Humans never got that far." I said as they both nodded.

"And all of them were somehow cheated." Dash sighed in disgust.

"Yeah... But 78,000 bits was a high price to set." She finished as I put my talon up to my chin.

"But wasn't he special in some way?" I suggested as Twilight nodded.

"Yeah, he was... I don't know how he was special in any other way that just expensive, though." She replied while shrugging.

"I heard he was... The leader of something. Like a BIG leader who had lots of power." Dash said as we raised an eyebrow in wonder.

"Hey, I read books sometimes!" She said as we still remained in wonder.

"Heard he was some guy who was special... I don't know."

"Michael Dreamrider! That's his name that's been so popular amongst the crowd! I remember now! He was the leader of a group named... Aw man, I forgot. But I heard he was so expensive because of how well he was at a servant. He was polite, strong, smart, and skilled. But he all said it was because he was 'blessed' _somehow_. I don't know... He's practically called a living god from the other humans, from what I heard." I said as Twilight looked at me strangely.

"Don't you be gettin' a human on me, little one." She said as I sighed in defeat. I would never enslave a human just for my own wants. That's just cruel. "He's right, y'know," Dash started, "He is the highest-paying human in the country. There are about 800,000 million citizens and about 2 million humans. The second most expensive human was 32,000 bits. Nowhere near the amount of 76,000." She finished as we nodded.

"You think we should ask?" I looked at Twilight. "Yeah," She answered back instantly as she teleported some ink, a paper, and a feather pen at the ready. "Dear Celestia," She started...

 _Dear Celestia,_

 _Hello there, it's me Twilight sending you this message... I'm sending you this letter so early in the morning in regard of the incident which happened quite a while ago... Maybe not **that** long ago, but quite a sum ago nonetheless. Anyway, I am speaking of the **human** incident._

 _The one that devastated 6 solder's families? Yes. That one. From my knowledge, and, it is my duty to inform my friends, that the human that you have in custody is the human known as Michael Dreamrider. I am not sure as to what his status is amongst humans is exactly, but what I do know is this:_

 _His name is Michael Dreamrider, and he is part of a group which leads the other humans to some common goal. Whether this goal is beneficial to the pony race or not, he leads the entire country. He is to all, if not, most, considered a living god amongst the people. Very high, indeed._

 _He was purchased at a base price of 49,000 bits, but the price was raised 29,000 bits to 78,000, where somepony bought him at the large, and almost outrageous price... Almost._

 _The price itself is, from the other ponies around, worth every bit. From what I've heard, he is what every human-owner wants. He's strong, intelligent, smart, and very skilled, as well as polite. I know, as a princess, I should own a human, but I don't feel that is right, seeing as how I am the bearer of the Element of Magic and Friendship. It would go against my morals, as I've told you._

 _Now I know it isn't the best thing to tell from me, but if I were you, I would not let said human go very easily. I know types like him... I almost married one. Needless to say, he is **very** special. He is the all-powerful ruler of the humans..._

 _He could lead the revolt which one day may turn the tides, Celestia. From our knowledge, humanity is itching to strike back from beyond the outer walls... If I am right, if we don't change the way he looks at things a little more to our benefit, he could single-hoofedly bring Equestria to it's knees with the amount of power he wields in his heart and mind. As cunning as he is dashing, he won't stop there._

 _We are blessed to have a human to lead the other humans who is not a tyrant and a cold-hardhearted ruler..._

 _Take what I mean seriously, Celestia._

 _I **know** what I mean._

 _Twilight, Your Faithful Companion_

…

"Aaaaannnnd... There we go! All done." I said as Twilight sighed in accomplishment. "Good. Send it off." She said as I nodded and inhaled as I opened my mouth and breathed the traditional green fire from my mouth and blew into the rolled letter as it disappeared in the flame off to the Princess.

When she would get back was quite random, at some times. But she is a princess, after all.

 **End of Chapter** **2**

 **...**

 **It's a hard and grueling road.**


	3. What Are We Doing?

… **Hello again readers, authors, fans, and those who are reading for their first time, to the next chapter of Michael's whole life of tragedies.**

 **The story so far;**

 **Celestia has almost mortally wounded Michael in his attempts to stop her after Trixie sent him away in one, powerful spell.**

 **Trixie, now being in Canterlot, has learned information on Michael's condition... Not what she wanted as now she regrets her decision to send him away.**

 **Michael, being the leader of humanity, in all it's glory, (though he doesn't fully understand it), has taken one directly from the Day Goddess herself as he now lays wounded.**

 **Twilight, on the other hand, opposes all slavery against the humans as she received a letter in regard of Michael. The letter spoke of Michael in perfect condition, as we all know that was a lie to keep Twilight away.**

 **The mistake was that the letter spoke of capital punishment. Something Twilight also opposes, being the Element of Friendship known as Magic. The letter spoke that Michael has been sentenced to execution... Execution hasn't been performed since _68_ years ago because of a psychotic human... He is to be executed at some point in time, anyway... (but will he?)**

 **Something nobody but Celestia wants. Now, Twilight decided to board the next train to address the horrid mess as she feels as if she needs to stop it. Twilight's friends, have joined her, never once leaving her side as the Mane Six set out on a quest which will lead them farther than they would ever imagine.**

 **Something only Celestia and Luna's father and mother know...**

 **Something... that if they found out what happened, they might react badly...**

 **Something that would...not benefit the princess of the day...**

… **Something that would effect the reign against the humans...**

… **But enough of that. You came here to read.**

… **Silly me...**

 **I shan't keep you waiting any longer. Hope you have a nice time reading...**

…

 **Oh and there is a cookie this chapter, about a certain hospital conspiracy movie about comas and stuff... Hehe... ;)**

 **Enjoy and Enlighten.**

 **What Are We Doing?**

I trotted over anxiously as I smiled to the friendly conductor while boarding the train with my friends... Oh how I would follow them anywhere... To the gates of Tartarus, to the beginning of heaven, I would be there with them, right by their side. Where they need me.

Where I belong... Anyway, the train ride seems longer than it actually is, though it is only an hour train ride from where my castle was located.

"Twilight?" Rarity spoke to me as we sat down around the first-class car room.

"Yes?" I replied as she sat next to me and looked at me with uncertainty.

"Are you alright? Do you feel well to do this? I know this has to be a difficult task... She is the ruler of Equestria... Do you require something?"

"... Hhh... I don't know... I-I don't want to _force_ her... I-I mean she has enough stress... After all, I know her almost as well as her sister... Some consider me her half-sister... And I guess I am... I've known her all my life, since I was a little filly..." I looked down in remembrance of times past.

Whether they were good or not... That still was being decided.

"Never would I have imagine that I would have to tell her things eye to eye... She's done so much, and I, so little... I don't know what I'm doing..." I said, now addressing the many problems which plague me.

"I don't know if I can stop it..." I began, "... But I know that I will try." I looked back up at Rarity and the others as they talked amongst themselves... I truly didn't know what to do.

If it was just to try to convince her otherwise, then so be it... If anything, I can make the excuse of wanting to visit her since it has been so long... All we do now is just send letters to each other... I need to see her face to face again...

It's just been too long...

… But I have a mission...

And I plan to fulfill it.

"… Michael..."

… "Michael... Why?" I cried as I sat in a mess, a small puddle of tears forming as I hiccuped and looked to the sky, as if it was calling me.

"You must be Trixie..." A voice accompanied me as I looked down to eye level to see Princess Celestia standing in wait.

"Oh! Y-Yes ma'am... I am Trixie." I said, shooting up but then looking down as if my name was of no more worth... Maybe it wasn't.

"You seem to have known that human... Was he of some importance?" She asked, but unbeknownst to me, she was lying through her teeth.

"Yes!... Yes he was... He was my servant... And the best one I've ever seen... He was... So nice and friendly..." I began.

"And then I killed him!" I sobbed in my hooves as she put her wings around me and hugged me.

"No no no... You didn't kill him... He killed himself... It's not your fault, my little pony... Sometimes you must let go of things you otherwise cannot hold." She said as I cried hard into her fur.

"But why him!" I cried as Celestia sighed in concern and sorrow.

"I don't know... He was not anything like what you described when he acted so... irrationally." She replied in tones so caring and mature.

"But I know he wouldn't do that!... I know he wouldn't... I know..." I trailed off as Celestia clicked her tongue.

"Death is a sad thing..." She said as I nodded sadly.

I heard rapid hoofsteps run towards our position as I looked back to see a guard, out of breath and stumbling in exhaustion.

"Princess.. human... aw... He's..." The guard said as Celestia looked at him.

"Take a deep breath... Now let it out." She said as the guard did what she said and exhaled slowly.

"I bring you information about the human who was killed." He said as Celestia gave him a look of annoyance.

"Yes?" She said as the guard shook his head in disbelief.

"The human..."

"... He's alive."

"Ugh. So bored. If it was going to be _this_ long I would've brought one of my Daring Doo books... jeez." Rainbow Dash complained as we rolled our eyes... Like I've noted, it's only _one_ _hour_ away from Canterlot.

"Can't ya find something to do, partner?" Applejack asked as Dash rolled her eyes.

"No! It's been like, 3 hours!" She exaggerated.

"No it hasn't, silly filly, it's only been 49 minutes and 57 seconds!" Pinkie noted as we all stared at her in uncertainty.

"Do you have some kinda clock inside you or what?" Dash asked strangely.

"Well, I once swallowed a clock once!" Pinkie smiled as we looked at her strangely.

"Don't even want to know." I said as she smiled even more...

And laughed.

"Well I think that this train ride should help you cope with your impatience, Rainbow Dash." Rarity noted.

"Mhm, and besides, maybe you'll end up like having nothing to do. You don't have to think about anything, or do anything, or anything." Fluttershy also noted.

"... Hm. Well I still say I should carry an emergency Daring Doo book just in case." She pouted as the train whistle blew loudly and we slowly headed to a stop.

"What? That's it?" Dash looked out the window and I shook my head and rolled my eyes in defeat. She impossible sometimes.

"Yes Dash, that's it. It's only an hour or around that." I sighed in defeat.

"Sweet!" She flew out of the window and floated above the ground, the ground being the brick road of Canterlot... Something I've not seen for a long time.

"Well... Here we are." I exhaled in uncertainty and wonder... It's been so long since I've been here, and I've been so busy, I almost forgot what it's like... The walls... The citizens... The architecture... Everything.

"Well everypony... you know why we are you, don't you?" I walked forwards and turned around to face them as they gave me their attention and sat silently.

"... Well, alright..." I started, "... We are here because of the execution which will take place sometime in the near future... We are here to stop it. I believe that capital punishment is unacceptable, considering that this is Equestria... These human have... Made us think differently about what we do and such..."

"We've practically changed and created a large document of guidelines to show the humans how they need to go about their lives. The Laws of Humanity is what humans should and should not do..."

"But I believe that it should never have to come to execution."

"That is why we are here... So if you have any objections, the train is still here." I said as I looked down, hoping they wouldn't have any objections.

"C'mon Twi, we're not gonna leave you!" Dash said as Pinkie bounced.

"No were not!" Pinkie shouted.

"Heavens no, we are your friends, Twilight, friends don't leave each other." Rarity finished and smiled as I did the same.

"Thank you all, your so kind..." I hugged them in a group hug again and exhaled in preparation.

"Shall we?" Rarity motioned to walk forwards to address the problem soon.

"Yes... We shall." I said as the rest followed me down the roads, taking directions from many different ponies as they pointed us to the castle. They thought of it so strange that a princess would walk without either some protection or in a carriage.

I wasn't a stuffy princess. I was just a princess. Plain and simple... how I got to that, I don't even know. It's just a blurry, clouded mess.

I DON'T KNOW!

"Twilight, I think I see it." Fluttershy said as I looked up from my trance and saw the large Canterlot Castle, standing proud as ever as it seemed to get a new touch-up of paint.

"It's so... cool." Dash said excitedly.

"So... Lavish." Rarity noted.

"Strong, Ah say." Applejack stated proudly.

"It's just so different." Fluttershy cocked her head.

"AND PARTY-SIZE BIG!" Pinkie shouted and jumped while spinning.

"And was once home." I said as they looked at me as I nodded.

"Better believe it girls, I once lived here. It's was different indeed... Somehow I was considered different, so I guess I fit in the category well." I said as they remained silent, their gaze set upon something else.

"Is that who I think it is?!" Dash said, flying above us as we looked ahead to see a familiar pony, looking for something, obviously lost.

"Trixie?!" I said aloud in disbelief as she looked towards the sound.

"Trixie! It's me! Twilight!" I said as she looked at me with sorrow.

"Hello again Twilight... 'tis I, Trixie, as you say..." She said glumly.

"What's with you?" Dash asked.

"Somethin' or somepony on yer mind, sugarcube?" Applejack asked as well.

"OH YES! IT'S TERRIBLE!" She burst into tears and fell as we looked at her in awkwardness. We felt... As if we had done something to upset her.

"What's wrong, Trixie?" I leaned down to her.

"Michael... That's what's wrong!" She said as I looked at her strangely and looked back at my friends in uncertainty.

"Wait... His name wouldn't be Michael _Dreamrider_ , would it?" I asked as she looked at me and got up.

"How-How did you know?" She asked, tears still falling.

"Because... I did a lot of research on the humans, and found him quite a bit... did a little reading." I replied.

"... So what's up?" I asked her as she sniffled and looked down.

"Michael's been hurt...severely... A-And I can't contain myself... I just want him to be okay!" She said, looking around for something.

"What's he to you?" I asked as she looked at me in disappointment.

"He's is my most faithful servant... a-and now I've killed him!" She cried again as we tried to comfort her. But nothing worked...

"Are you looking for him?" I asked as she nodded.

"He's got to be in the hospital, if anywhere. Are you looking for the hospital?" I asked her as she nodded quickly.

"Yes I am, where is it?" She asked as we waved her to follow us.

"So you got a servant?" I asked her as she nodded.

"He cost me 78,000 bits... He's the best they've ever sold... I wanted the best." She replied, sadly and proudly.

"Wow... I read about that... Wasn't he supposed to be that way because of how he acted?" I asked her as she nodded.

"Yes... After he was sold to me, he told me, in front of all these ponies, thanking me for the large purchase, and how he didn't know his own worth until I bought him... It was so sweet..."

"All I want is to have him back... I consider him a close friend... And I treat him badly... But please don't tell him I told you that." She said as I nodded.

"Thank you... Is this it?" She pointed as I nodded again and motioned for us to move.

"Let's go!" She bolted quickly and sprinted towards it as we did the same, keeping pace with her. We slowed down and trotted through the doors as we walked up to a receptionist and got her attention.

"Yes-oh! Princess Sparkle! W-What a surprise to see you here!" She said as I looked at her in concern.

"Were looking for a human." I told her.

"Well... What is his name?" She asked as I inhaled.

"Michael Dreamrider. 6 foot 1 inch, emerald green eyes, and light brown hair. He was rushed in here recently, yes?" Trixie said, covering his features descriptively.

"Ah yes, Mr. Dreamrider, he's been rushed to the ER for surgery... He supposedly had something stuck in his neck and had to rush him into their quickly... That's all I know. That doctor knows more, he found the thing through X-ray." She pointed as we trotted quickly over to him.

"Are you the doctor who x-rayed the human with the piece of metal in his throat?" Trixie asked quickly as he looked at her and nodded.

"Yes I am. What is it you need?"

"We need to know if he's going to be okay." I stated.

"Well, I can tell you this: they rushed him because of a metal piece which began to make it's way towards his pulmonary artery, slowly but surely... The knife cut deep. They rushed him into the ER and he's been there for about an hour. Whether he'll make it is in the balance..."

"But were hoping that he will. I've heard some things about him... Lots of ponies asking questions... Someponies actually have been wanting to meet him... Me included." He said as we nodded.

"Thank you so much, doctor." I said as Trixie went to the observation area for the ERs.

"Whooves. Doctor Whooves. He's in Room 8." The doctor told us her as she walked desperately down the hallways.

We followed Trixie down the hallways and called her name, but received silence as we then looked right to see her staring into the glass-windowed pane along with other humans, trembling as we looked through to see humanity's only savior, lying across the table in sad array.

We then looked at the surgeons as they began to speedily work to accomplish something, as I looked at the monitor to see the heart rate flat-lining as they worked frantically to stop whatever was happening... It was like this for almost 4 minutes.

"No..." Dash said as the human convulsed violently before ultimately stopping, the surgeons shrugging and shaking their heads in defeat as I looked at the human and began to cry in sadness for him... He didn't even know that he went.

"N-No... No. NO!" Trixie cried as the surgeons stopped their work and began to file out, letting the other know what just happened.

"What went wrong?" One asked as they filed out, their suits off as they shrugged.

"Dunno... Just that it did... Guess it was his time... You knew him?" One asked us.

"Yes... I did." Trixie said, swallowing her tears as they then forced themselves out again and she wailed, the surgeons giving us our space as the human lay there, motionless. Trixie burst into the room once they left as we followed her in.

"Michael! MICHAEL NOOO!" She screamed as he lay there, blood over his clothing as the monitor gave out a steady buzz of defeat as we cried with her... Death was a sad thing... And we all hated it.

"He was so... happy... all the time... Michael please! Don't leave us! DON'T LEAVE ME NOW!" She screamed as her tears fell without ceasing, her trembling body observing the sad specter of death as we revered the once powerful and mighty human, now nothing but a result of death's final laugh as we cried our hearts away.

"You... You bastard... How could you?" The female woman said through tears, slamming her fist on the glass as I'm sure she knew him in some way more personally.

If only we could've done something... Then maybe it wouldn't be so sad...

"It's so sad... I've never seen worse..." Dash said as we all felt the powerful surge of magic go through us as it left his body... We Alicorns can feel such things. The mighty human who was once destined for things greater, as Luna spoke of, now nothing but flesh as his spirit seemed to lift to the heavens, only to stop and look at us and cry as well as he gave his last goodbye to this world...

… He was so young... Not even an adult human, as he barely started out his life... To take the life of one so young and so pure... It almost sickens me... it _does_ sicken me... He would've been the mate of our rulers, Celestia and Luna... if only his life were here to stay...

But he was called up by higher and greater beings, the gods and kings of the here-after...

"C'mon Trixie... Let's go... We have to let them do their job..." Fluttershy said as we looked at the coroners who came and stood on the sidelines to take the body away as we filed out and cried on our way out.

"I-I... I can't... Believe it... He's actually gone." Trixie said as we head hoofsteps running down the hallways, only for us to see that it was Princess Luna herself.

"W-What's going on?!" She said frantically as she observed the sight, covering her mouth with her hooves in shock and in sadness, as she too, observed the sad prospect of death, the human who was once so great...

"No... No it can't be!" She said, her tears of frustration and of sadness came as we nodded in acknowledgment.

"It is, Luna..."

"He's gone." I said as she sat down in sadness and looked down.

"Sister... what have you done?" She asked herself as we focused on making sure Trixie was well... Making sure she would do something she would regret... Hoping she was still of sound mind... But I know she wasn't. I wouldn't after all this... In fact, I wasn't...

None of us ponies were... Nor were the humans, as they cried silently at the sight, holding their necklaces in a regretful ritual as they all cringed in sadness, embracing themselves and others as Michael I. Dreamrider, the human who was destined for things above, now found as nothing at all... Dead, on a cold, metal bench.

"I can't believe it... ol' Michael's really gone..."

"No, he is not, young ones... Trust me." A human said as we observed an older human who was too old to be a servant.

"He's right there, dead as ever! Don't tell me he's not dead!" A female, one who was led from the castle earlier, spoke up.

"Do not doubt him, Ellie... I think you know him far too well for that." The elderly human said as I walked up to him.

"Who are you?" I asked him as he looked down at me.

"Yes, I would like to know, mister, who are you?" She asked him and got in his face as he laughed.

"Why... I'm surprised! Don't you remember me?" He asked as she scoffed in rejection.

"No I don't and how dare you come in here and tell me he's alive! Do you know how I felt about him? Do you?!" She screamed and cried as she held herself... I suspected that she knew him more than just the norm.

"I... am his grandfather." The human stated as the others scoffed in disbelief.

"Phillip Dreamrider." He said as they all looked at him strangely.

"He doesn't have one!" One human said as the rest agreed in sadness, mumbling as the did so.

"Ah but he does..." The elderly pulled out a necklace and the humans looked at it in awe. Obviously handcrafted...

Whether it meant something or not, it was definitely important.

"Now, do you believe me when I say I think you know him too well, Ms. Ellie?"

"I... I... don't... I don't... know." She said, the strong accent, similar to Luna's, but much stronger, stood out to me.

"Yes... You do know."

"Michael is in there... Somewhere... I know it. I can feel it." He said as Michael laid there... Motionless...

"How do you know?" Rarity asked as Phillip looked down at her.

"It's because of who he is... Nothing could kill him as a kid... We sheltered him and trained him too well... I know it's illegal, and I doubt anyone cares, but he has a large flame of magic within him..."

"... That magic have survived all the Dreamriders, as we passed it down from line to line... His father, god bless his soul, died... doing the very same thing..."

"... But he was born on May 7th, the day of the war... We knew right then who he was going to be and who was going to lead us... His great-great-great-great-great- _GREAT_ grandfather, was Michael the First..."

"The first human... We named him Michael after his ancestor, Michael The First..." He continued.

"Why do you call him 'The First'?" Trixie asked.

"Because... He was The First... Michael The First Human... And the First Dreamrider... His name spoke instilled power, his ideals, inspired hope, and his words, spoke dreams... Michael I. Dreamrider, the man you see in there, exactly everything that you would see in the First, you would see in him..."

"And even more."

"Y-y... You mean that... _That's_ why he was named Michael?" Ellie asked as Phillip nodded.

"Yes... He is the chosen one. The one who will lead us into freedom... to our greatest dreams... Just as The First did." He smiled as he turned around and walked away, us gawking at him in awe as he left with only one thing to say...

"Watch him. He may get tricky." He finished and chuckled as we looked back to see Michael was not on the table.

"What the fuck?!" One human spoke what was on all our minds.

"He's gone!" Another spoke as Ellie burst into the room through the side door and looked down. I walked in their after her quickly and observed that Michael was on the ground, his entire body glowing as if his blood were of lava.

"M-Michael?" Ellie mumbled as his right hand closed ever so slowly into a fist as the left hand did the same. His body slowly began to turn over, his eyes shut as Ellie looked at him in disbelief.

"... Michael?" She said to him, kneeling over and putting her hand on his chest and listening for a heartbeat. Her expression didn't change for a while...

… But then suddenly, it did. He eye shot open wide as he eyes fluttered to life. I opened the side door quickly with my magic as I leaned out.

"GET HELP! QUICKLY!" I yelled as I then closed the door to see two humans going to get help as I looked to see a small white shard of something come out of his through, glowing and shining white as it lowered into my hoof and stopped shining.

It was silver... Metallic. Sharp.

The sliver of metal which was stuck in his throat, somehow is now in my hoof.

"Michael! Are you alright?" She asked as he looked at her slowly, his eyes half open as she cried in happiness, as Trixie burst in.

"Trixie don't! You don't want to hurt him!" I said urgently as she stood there in disbelief as Michael slowly stirred to life and the humans watched intently.

"Michael? It's me, Ellie... Remember?" She said as the right hand on his stomach reached over and touched hers, gently grasping it as he smiled weakly, his throat still open, but somehow, not bleeding.

"Where is he?" A pair of surgeons in full suits burst in as he looked at me.

"No need... It's out." I showed them the shard as they looked in disbelief.

"Good good, but now we need to patch the wound, everypony out." The unicorn surgeon said as we nodded.

"Alright, let's get him up." The doctor said as Ellie picked up his legs and helped the doctors in lifting him. He looked quite large and heavy.

He looked at me as he was going up and mouthed the words, "Thank you", to me... I never felt like I was ever better... He thanked me and Ellie for what we did as the doctors put him under anesthesia through a face-breather which went over his mouth and nose.

I walked out of the room with Ellie as I looked back once more, hoping he would be alright. and closed the door to the room.

"I-is he going to be okay?" Rarity asked as Trixie looked at me as well for answers.

"Yes... I think so." I showed them the piece and smiled.

"He sure will..." I smiled even more as Ellie turned to me.

"I never thought I'd say this to another pony... But thank you. That took guts as well as feelings to do what ya did... Considering your a princess and all." She said as I shook my head.

"No, what I did is what I was supposed to do... I love to help others, and will not stop until I have to... I just hope he's going to be okay... But I know he will." I said as she scoffed in agreement.

"He better, after all he put me through..." She trailed off and I smiled.

"Thank you... Ellie. I know what you did and just said to courage and forgiveness towards all of us... On behalf of ones who oppose human slavery... I thank you." I said as they looked at me differently.

"You... Don't have a human?" She asked.

"No. None of us do. We represent the Elements of Harmony... Loyalty, Kindness, Laughter, Honesty, Generosity, and Magic... Owning a human would be going behind the Elements' back and backstabbing everything we hold dear as a moral principle..."

"... So, no, we don't condone human-auctions or the right to own a human." I finished as the rest of the humans looked at us in surprise.

"Hm... Well... Alright. We look at you differently now, Ms Sparkle. We know who you are...A little... We also would like to thank you for not supporting the human owning like some others do." Ellie said as she looked at Luna.

"And if it of any help, if you need anything, the Dreamriders would be proud to do a good job for you. Our treat." She smirked as I smiled.

"Thank you, Ellie... That means a lot to me... I'm sure Michael would be proud right now." I said as she nodded.

"But I would like to get the scoop on Michael... Just to know who he is inside, and I'm guessing you know him?" I asked her as she nodded and looked at Michael again.

"Yes... I know he remembers me now since his mind isn't focused on anything right now..."

"So I was just wondering if... You wanted to go get something to eat or something?" I asked her as she nodded.

"Sure. Sounds good... I just hope he gets well soon." She said, looking at him and then looking down before she shook her head and looked back up.

"Where would you like to go?" She asked me as I shrugged.

"We could just go get some coffee or something." Dash said as Ellie accepted the idea.

"Sounds good." I said as Ellie smiled.

"Shall we?" I said as Ellie motioned for us to lead the way... She was so nice... I wondered why... Was it because of Michael? Or... Me? I didn't know... Maybe it was a combination of multiple different things.

We looked to the one of the coroners in charge to know what time the operation would be done.

"Excuse me, when will the surgery be done?" I asked as they thought for a moment.

"It should only take... About 40 minutes... But the anesthesia will have to wear off and that alone will take about 2 hours at the most." The one on the right said as we smiled and thanked him kindly.

"Well. That should give us about 2 and a half hours to do whatever we want." Ellie said as I nodded.

"Will you tell us or dispatch somepony when he is awake?" Trixie asked as the ponies nodded. We smiled and thanked them as we headed down the hallways to exit the hospital... It was going to be a while.

"D... Do you mind if I join you?" Luna asked me as I smiled.

"Of course you can! We wouldn't leave you stranded, Luna." I said as Ellie gave a look of disapproval.

"Is something wrong?" Rarity asked Ellie as I looked at her.

"It's just that Michael's worst enemy is Princess Celestia... And now her sister stands in front of me. I'm not okay even being near you. I bet your buddy-buddy with your sister, aren't you? You just stood there when it went down." Ellie said as I wondered what she meant when she said "it went down"... I hope nothing bad happened.

"W-Well I-I don't really have a human, he's my sister's servant, I-I"

"If your not for us, your against us... But I won't make the same choices as Michael... That's his responsibility... To lead us. I cannot do it." She said as I looked down and nodded.

"Can't she go with us, Ellie?" Fluttershy asked as Ellie shrugged.

"I don't care, she can do what she wants." Ellie said as I smiled.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it." Ellie mumbled in annoyance as we exited the hospital, the rest of the humans following far behind as the talked amongst each other. We walked amongst the streets as we tried to find someplace to sit down and chat amongst each other.

Finally we found a coffee shop... Thank the gods, we were out there for about 30 minutes...

"JEEZ! We were searching for- _EVER!_ " Dash exclaimed as we rolled our eyes.

"Look on the bright side, at least we shaved off 30 or so minutes of time." I said as Ellie nodded.

"Michael's probably just getting out of surgery by now... I hope he's going to be well. Sometimes it takes more that just medicine to help people... And in this case, he needs all the help he can take." She said as we all nodded.

After that little note she spoke of, we ordered some coffee for ourselves as I paid with a check.

I had so many bits anyways, since I was a princess... I wonder why... I don't know...

"Twilight, where's Spike?" Dash asked me.

"I left him to take care of the castle while I was gone... He likes the alone time, anyway."

"I would imagine living inside a large castle alone would be quiet." Trixie said as I nodded.

"Very. Most of the times it's just me and that's it, making the castle seem that much larger."

"Do you like living in a castle?" Ellie asked me as I nodded.

"Yes, I do... but it doesn't quite replicate the comforts of home when your not in your own personal room... And even then, it's still not the same... But I like it, along with my friends."

"Yeah... But jeez, you should see Rarity's room, it's like what a castle room looks like in the magazines! It's like... I dunno... It's just _that_ way." Dash said, emphasizing _that_ as the key word.

"And in this case, _that_ way is what way?" Ellie asked.

"Just _that_ way." Dash said as Rarity blushed and chuckled like someone told her an inside joke...

… But as to what the inside joke was, (if you get my meaning), I have no idea.

"Well, you know, a mare must treat herself to mare-like things..." She smiled and looked down in thought.

"Well, if it's to any help, I know how you feel." Luna said as Rarity nodded.

"Why not live or at least sleep well? Sleep comfortably or at least have a nice room to reside in..." Rarity spoke as Luna nodded in acknowledgment

"So... Ellie... What do you know about Michael?" Rarity asked her as Ellie inhaled to speak.

"Well... I've known him for a while... Everyone thinks he's older than he really is... Just watch. How old do you think he is?" She asked us as we thought for a moment.

"29." Dash replied.

"I think so too." Fluttershy agreed.

"He has to be at least 30 or so." Rarity spoke.

"Ah think he's 26 or 27." Applejack shot up.

"I think he's 30!" Pinkie bounced.

"I'd have to say he's about 26 or so." I said as Ellie scoffed.

"He's 17." Ellie announced as our jaws dropped like bricks.

"No." Rarity said and gasped.

"Yes... I'm 21, and I've known him for as long as I can remember... He always had a crush on me as a kid... It was so cute... But I could never reciprocate the feelings, as when he was 12, and he ran away, I never saw him again... I was 16. Such feelings would be looked down on, but now... It's entirely different."

"... I just wish I hadn't lost sight of him as a child... I didn't know how much I lost until I saw him again... He's successful, strong, cunning, dashing as a human could be... He's polite... Kind... Sweet as ever... And from what I heard from other humans, he's a romanticist... And a well-informed one, too." Ellie said as Trixie gasped.

" _That's_ why he's got so many romantic books! He even bought a book on how to be romantic... I think it's called "10,000 Ways to say 'I love you'."... Gee... I never knew... I-I'm sorry for what happened..." Trixie announced as Ellie waved it off.

"Don't be... I should'a been there when he needed me... see, I was like his big sister, y'know, being older and such?... Well now it doesn't matter. I'm just an equal to him now... Which surprisingly opens many doors that I wanted open years ago..." She said and smiled and blushed a tad as she looked down.

"But he's still 17, and he's got all of humanity on his shoulders... Something that we could never do, even together... That's why he's so... Strong. He's a Dreamrider... Michael the Second. Born on May 7th, as you know, he's definitely special..."

"He's to us as important... No, he _is_ more important the Michael the First because he is alive and now leading us, 400 years later..." She began as she looked down.

"I just hope he'll be okay!" She whispered through tears, looking up as she covered her mouth and closed her eyes. We began to walk over to comfort her, but she held up her hand to halt us.

"I-I'm... I'm okay... Just... Gimme a moment, okay?" She said as we respected her wishes and sat quietly.

"You seem... very attached to Michael." Trixie said as she nodded.

"I was his big sister for 8 years... And now the only time I get to see him, and he's already dying..." She said and shook her head.

"... I don't know what you are going through, but I have become quite attached to Michael as well... Even though he is my servant, he acts as though I'm the only thing on his mind at all times..."

"... Yeah... That's Michael... Never thinking about himself when he needs to... Silly boy..." She said as she realized he wasn't a boy anymore.

"... I just... I hope he's going to be out soon..." She said as I noted through my internal watch of magic that almost an hour and a half had gone by.

"Well... he should be out soon. It's been almost one and a half hours." I notified them as they nodded.

"Hey, maybe we should check in on them, hm? Maybe we should make sure on the progress?" Rarity noted as we nodded in agreement.

"Sounds like a plan." Fluttershy replied.

"Well then let's go." Luna said as we all got up and began to make our way back to the hospital... Since we knew where to go and where we are going, (if that is the right way to say it), it only took us about 15 minutes to walk back.

By then it was almost two hours. We walked through the doors and up to the receptionist.

"Hello again! Come to check up on him, have we?" She said as we all nodded.

"Well, he got out about 15 minutes ago... The doctor is in his room right now. Room 144. You'll find it." She smiled as we did exactly that. We snaked around the hallways and found room 144...

"Okay..." Ellie said, readying herself as Trixie walked in, Ellie following close behind.

"Doctor?" Trixie addressed him as he looked back suddenly and quickly, obviously shocked.

"Yes?" He looked at the rest of us as we walked in, his eyes widening as Princess Luna walked in last.

"How is now?"

"Well, the patch-up went well, the wound is slowly healing, and he is recovering from both the surgery and the anesthesia... When he is to awaken, we expect in the next hour or so... The anesthesia will wear off then... As for when he will be able to speak..." He exhaled sadly.

"N-no..." Trixie said as he nodded sadly.

"We predict... considering the injury..." He turned and glanced at Michael as he then turned back around to look at us.

"... He won't speak again. The object, we suspect a knife, slit his larynx and trachea severely... His vocal cords have been cut badly... He most likely won't be speaking again... But if he does make a miracle recovery, then... maybe." The doctor finished.

"N-no... It can't be." Trixie cried.

"Well... I'll leave you all be..." The doctor said as he nodded and walked out of the room, leaving us in complete silence with Michael... I hope he'll be able to speak again.

"Oh gods... I feel so terrible." Luna broke down as we looked at her.

"Why?" Dash asked what we all thought.

"This is all my fault... I should've stopped it!" She cried and covered her hooves as I walked over.

"Stopped what, Luna? Tell me... It's okay." I told her as she sniffled and removed her hooves from her eyes as Ellie came over.

"M-My sister... After the incident, he woke up and then hid under the bed he was laying on, a-and then my sister... She... tried to choke him, but then... Then he stabbed the side of her head with that knife!"

"H-He didn't know that mortal weapons can't kill immortal beings! And so she... She reformed and then... She stabbed his left eye and... he lost his eye! That's why he has an eye-patch... And then he was th-thrown in the dungeon..."

"After that, I had a meeting with Ellie and the rest of the humans about the Laws of Humanity... Celestia thought it best that Michael sit in, being as how he was the leader of the humans, but then things went wrong and... she tried to kill Ellie..."

"... But then he saved her, at the cost of his own life and then had his throat slit, blood spilling everywhere! It was _awful!_ A-And now he's here because of it!" She finished as we all looked in awe. She basically "spilled the beans" just now...

… But it couldn't be... Celestia would never do that... Would she?

"You mean... that... Michael is here... because of... Princess Celestia?" Trixie asked, trembling in fear.

"Yes... I'm sorry for what she did."

"Oh she will, once I'm done with her!" Ellie yelled as I stopped her in her tracks, looking at her seriously.

"Ellie, don't! My sister will stop at nothing to make your lives miserable!" Luna said as Ellie eyed me with steely resolve.

"S... She...s... ri... ght." A voice from afar said in a surprisingly hoarse and dry tune.

We all looked at the source of the sound as Michael still laid motionless... Was it our imagination?

"D... don't..." The same voice spoke from Michael's mouth as we all crowded around him quickly but silently.

"H... hi..." He said while a weak smile formed on his face and his eyes fluttered to life only to open halfway.

"Michael!" Ellie whispered in a happy and shocked tune.

"Y-your okay!" She said, her voice now in full.

He nodded very subtly and smiled weakly again as he exhaled slowly while closing his eyes.

"Michael?" Trixie said as his eyes opened to the sound her her voice. He turned his head slightly to the right to meet again, his master, Trixie.

"I'm sorry..." She said while he turned his head in obvious disapproval.

"I... don...t... care." He said as she now began to cry.

"I-I'm sorry I sent you away, it's just that you were out of control!" She said as Michael only stayed silent.

"Li... liar... I... was... g-go...going... to help...you..." He said as Ellie looked dangerously at Trixie, almost threateningly.

"What did you do to him?" Ellie asked Trixie in calm and pure, angered rage.

"I-I didn't mean to! I-I just couldn't stop myself! I-I'm sorry!" She said as she backed up in fear as Ellie approached him dangerously.

"You won't be sorry any longer!" Ellie said while Luna stopped her with magic.

"Ellie, please... Don't do this. Not with Michael here." I asked her as she growled at turned around.

"Why shouldn't I?!" She yelled as I pointed to Michael.

"Because you are fighting battles you alone will not survive... Michael is lucky he's here by the skin of his teeth... If what Luna said is true, Celestia will have no problem hurting you..." 

"Luna is what you said true?" I asked her as she nodded.

"Sadly... yes... it's true..."

I looked down at the ground in anger as my eye shown white as snow, looking back up with an angered expression.

"If anypony is going to fight her, it's going to be me." I turned around as a still, small voice halted me.

"... Plea...se... don't..." Michael said as I turned back around.

"... I... want... to th-thank you... please d... don't go." He said as I walked up to him.

"For what?" I asked him as he smiled weakly.

"... For... caring... for me... for... thinking... a-about... what I... need... help... ing... me... survive." He finished as he weakly grabbed my hoof and smiled.

"T... the things... I... hear... about... you... are true... you are a... wonderful creature... Twilight... don't waste it on my... stupid... behalf." He said as my tears broke the dammed up wall and they fell down my face.

"I... know... how much... you care for... your... friends... and..."

"... I wo... would... be... honored... to be... called... your... friend." He finished as I smiled and cried hard, the words of his sinking in as I could muster only a few words.

"Yes... you are."

"N... now... I need... to sleep... thank you... Twilight... for what you... and... your fr... friends... believe in..." He said as I began to tremble hard, as he fell asleep shortly after.

I looked back at my friends as they smiled and cried as well.

I knew humans were kind... but this was nothing like I ever imagined. To hear such kind and humble words come from The Second Dreamrider, just... hit me in a way that I never thought possible.

From now on I would look differently on how humans are... How they look... they act... they feel... and that I would allow all humans, in my regard, to be created equal, in the sight of all ponies...

… Now I had to convince Celestia of that as well...

… What a task I had ahead of me.

 **End of Chapter 4**

 **And there we go... That's it until next time, boys, girls, men, ladies, and others I would rather not go into detail. Leave a comment in the reviews section if you want, but it would be much appreciated.**

 **Thanks for reading, everybody, (pony if that's how you operate), and come back next time for the next chapter on what happens to Twilight and her friends when confronting Princess Celestia.**

 **'Til next time, folks. Thanks for reading.**


	4. Confrontation of Two

**Hello again everyone, (or pony), to Michael's own story of tragedies, challenges, ultimate fails, and all that good stuff that comes in between.**

 **The story so far;**

 **Trixie is now in confusion, happiness, and fear that Michael will make it out okay. She now know what she did was wrong, and vowed never to do it again.**

 **Michael, now somehow miraculously surviving the mortal wound, remains without an eye, with speech impaired. He feels as if Trixie is only second on his kill-list, first being Celestia herself (maybe)... He met Ellie again for the second time, realizing who she was at last.**

 **Twilight, who is now fully convinced Celestia isn't who she once was, now looks at both her and her two new friends that she made... Being one who does not condone human slavery, she now believes humans should be treated with the same respect as ponies and will not stop until so. Now, the task of convincing Celestia herself of that same belief looms around her... But as noted before, Celestia will stop at nothing to make the lives of the humans of Equestria miserable.**

 **Ellie, now once the 'big sister' of Michael, is now reunited with him as he is no longer the young boy he used to be when he was so young... Though Michael hasn't been here all his life. He came into this world at a young age... But that's for later, as Ellie and the rest wait patiently for his recovery...**

… **Now read, I'm done for now.**

 **Read in wonder!**

…

 **Confrontation Of Two**

"Twilight, please, don't do what your doing!" Luna begged me as I shook my head in rejection.

"I cannot allow your sister, my once-was teacher, to get away with something like this... I need to confront her about her actions... you forget too easily I am the Princess of Magic and the current leader of the Elements... The Tree has told me." I said as Luna looked at me and nodded.

"I... understand you feeling the way you do, but this is not wise. My sister is not who she was many, many years ago... These humans have caused her to grow cold inside... She doesn't even speak to me out of sisterly love anymore... It's always just business or insults about the humans..." She said while looking down in shame.

"It's like I'm not even there anymore..." She spoke to herself as I felt even more compelled to confront Celestia.

"Well then... Now I have two reasons." I said while turning around.

"Fine then... But you need some help." Luna said, looking at me seriously.

"Your going with me?" I asked as she nodded in comply.

"Yes... I need to go with you. You cannot do this alone... And take this." She said as she gave me a large, fixed-blade knife.

"This is Michael's... This was the knife that... injured him." Luna said while closing her eyes, trying to shut the memory out.

"What has she done..." She spoke to herself about her sister as I gripped the knife... It wasn't like any pony knife. It had indents for human hands. Very much unlike ponies.

"Shall we?" I said, motioning towards the door as she nodded slowly and we exited the hospital together. The castle was a good 20 minutes away by walking... So we spoke to each other for a while.

"I wonder how Cadence has been doing..." I said as Luna gave off an expression of wonder.

"That is a good question... I wonder... I certainly haven't heard anything from her in a while."

"Me neither... maybe she's just busy with coping with everything that's happened over the past few months...

"What's that?" Luna asked as I inhaled sharply to speak.

"Well, between her divorce with Shining, the human coup that happened against the Crystal Empire, and the media which has been plaguing her about the divorce, I doubt she get's much privacy or time to herself... now she runs the whole thing all single-hoofedly." I explained as Luna acknowledged with a nod.

"Wait, she divorced?" Luna asked in disbelief.

"Yes... she did... I actually feel kinda bad for my brother... but my pity goes out to Cadence. Shining wasn't acting at all what he was when she met him... Now she's heartbroken and looks again for a mate..." I rolled my eyes in annoyance at my brother's actions and the result of them.

"Why was he like that?" Luna asked again as I looked up in wonder.

"You know... I don't know the answer to that... I know my brother pretty well... he wouldn't do that without a reason... he said through messages that Cadence wasn't like herself before they got married... I think a little miss-communication on both their parts is present here." I concluded as we walked up to the large castle doors and were let in politely from the guards.

"Wait!" I heard behind me as we both looked back and saw Trixie running towards us.

"Oh no..." I said in annoyance as Trixie really had no say in this confrontation.

"I can't let you two do this alone... Trixie demands it!" She announced.

"Trixie, please, just don't. This time I need to do this alone with Luna. Were the only ones in position to really influence the Princess in some effective way. I mean it's not like you can go in there and give her an ultimatum. _That_ certainly won't work." I said as Trixie shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"I am the one who sent him here. I am responsible for him. My WHOLE LIFE revolves around him. DON'T tell me what I can and cannot do and certainly don't tell me I don't belong here, GOT THAT?!" She pointed in my face as I backed up and stumbled backwards, almost falling down.

"Okay okay okay... just don't get in our way." I said as she smiled and walked in with us. We followed the sound of the familiar voice of subject as we went down many corridors and took many turns to find Celestia.

We knocked on the large throne room doors as we waited for a response.

"Yes?" An annoyed voice addressed us as we walked in.

"Sister, we have something to speak to you about." Luna spoke to her as she looked up and recognized me instantly.

"Twilight!" She shot up and looked at me as I looked at her seriously and almost angrily.

"Yes yes, I know it's been a while since you seen me, and I wish on different terms, but far more important things plague me right now." I said as she stopped and looked at me strangely.

"Whatever do you mean?" She asked me and looked at me strangely.

"She means the incident which took place here recently... she's seen the human." Luna spoke for me as Celestia scoffed sarcastically.

"Please, if that human recovers, it'll be the death of me." Celestia responded as I looked at her angrily.

"He is recovering just fine and the shard is right here. The one I'm sure that _you_ sliced in his neck that your sister was just explaining to me. I also have his knife... fits perfectly. I finally met this popular human. He's nothing like what you have ever described him." I shot back.

"He's polite, he's caring... he thanked us for our efforts even though he hates ponies like us, considering who leads us. His words were compelling. They were sincere... I learned the story from Trixie that he was considered the most respectful human that ever lived. Maybe that's just her, but I believe her..."

"... Now would you please tell me why he has one eye, a slit throat, and countless bruises located all over his body?" I asked as Celestia, in all her royalty, was out of answers.

"You were there when he got the bruises, remember? The rock which fell?" She said, explaining the bruises.

"Yes, but what of the others? I'm sure that this metal shard that magically fits the knife definitely _DOESN'T_ go to the knife, hm?" I asked sarcastically.

"That's enough, Twilight Sparkle! I don't know what you are accusing me of, but this has gone far enough! How dare you confront me like this, accusing me of things I know you never saw or heard!"

"Well, either your a liar or your sister is, and she seemed pretty sincere when she spoke to me, so which is it?! Are _YOU_ the liar or is it your sister?!" I yelled at her as she fumed.

"My sister would never lie about something like that, s-"

"So you did it!" I exclaimed.

"No! I did _not!_ " She shot back in anger.

"So your sister is the liar? 'Cause if she is, you sure fit the part!" I yelled back as her eyes shone white and her violet gemstone located inside her golden jewelery and tiara sudden shined red, as her mane became fire red, orange, and yellow colored as she growled.

" **YES I DID! I DID IT AND I AM NOT ASHAMED... THOSE OF US WHO STILL HAVE DIGNITY FOR THE PONY KIND WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO SHOW THEM WE ARE THE MASTERS HERE, NOT THEM! I WAS MERELY DEFENDING MYSELF, BUT THE HUMAN TOOK ONE TO MANY STEPS AND ENDED UP ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE LINE!"** She screamed at me as I looked at her in horror as she approached me dangerously. Luna and Trixie had already backed away at the sight of Celestia like this... Obviously Celestia doesn't get like this very often.

" **Maybe... your not fit to be a princess any longer... maybe you never were, Twilight Sparkle, unicorn of MAGIC!"** She screamed as I whimpered at the thought of losing my princess position and becoming a unicorn again. He horn lit up brightly and quickly as she grabbed me. It was almost too late until a voice saved me from permanent regret.

"Please... don't." A voice said as Celestia stopped abruptly and she looked beyond me as I cranked my head around to see Michael and the rest of the Six standing next to him, Michael sitting in a wheelchair weakly.

"... Do... whatever... you want... to me, Celestia... but don't... hurt... her." He pleaded as she looked at him in strange but compelled wonder.

" **Wh... what?"** She looked at him in disbelief as he stood up and got off the wheelchair, but fell to his knees and crawled humbly and embarrassingly to Celestia's hooves.

"Please... don't hurt... her." He begged her as she looked down and then at her sister and Trixie, then to the rest of the Six, to me, and then to him again.

" **Are you bucking me?"** She asked in disbelief as she let me go from her grasp as I fell and scrambled back, but not far from Michael.

"N... no." He said as she grabbed him from his wounded throat and picked him up and held him there, dangling from the air as he squirmed to escape the painful grasp, hissing in pain as he did so.

" **You have a death wish, don't you? Well, I can help with that."** She finished as Michael stopped fighting once her horn lit brightly and charged up for a finishing blow as I prayed nothing would happen.

" **Any last words?"** She asked as he closed his eyes and cried, before opening them again.

"I'm... s... sorry." He said as Celestia looked at him strangely and cocked her head to the side.

" **W... what?"** She asked in disbelief as Michael cried even harder now.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered and spoke in distressed and weak tones.

"Wh... what in all of..." Celestia spoke, her angry aura and white eyes faded as her mane stopped rising up like a flame, finally returning to normal as she tried to speak.

"Who... am I... to tell you... you can't... run a country?" He scoffed at himself as she looked at him in wonder, if this was a trick or not... I think we all knew which it actually was.

"... I... am so... stupid... for even... thinking that... I could stop you... Equestria doesn't... deserve... a human... ruler... they... deserve... what... they have." He said, speaking about Celestia as her expression changed and softened, her grip softening as well.

"... I... will not... keep the traditions... of my forefathers... they were wrong about you... you aren't... a stone-cold... tyrant... at heart... we humans... have created... that illusion..."

"An... and... for that... I'm sorry... sorry for what we've done to... make you... what you aren't." He finished as Celestia let go instantly and looked at her hoof as he dropped to the ground, gasping for air as he coughed in pain and laid on his side.

Celestia looked up at us, tears streaming down her face as I smiled through tears to see the Celestia that I knew so long ago, from when I was a small unicorn, destined for things greater and better. Her lower lip began to tremble as she looked down and began to cry as we gave her space for the time being.

Michael outstretched his hand to her hoof and grabbed it weakly as she gasped and looked at him. He smiled weakly and closed his eyes as Celestia wailed loudly suddenly as buckled in pain as Luna rushed to her side and hugged her, releasing tears of her own as Michael struggled to get up from the fall. Trixie rushed to his side as he looked up and saw her again.

"I know you don't feel a-"

*SMASH!*

"What the?!" Dash said as glass was smashed through all the throne room windows and humans with combat armor rushed through and seized control of all the ponies the room, including me.

"GET 'EM, NOW!" A commander yelled as the humans transmitted a wave that froze up instantly for a while as they placed rings that prevented magic on our horns, and bound us up in rope as Michael fell to the ground again, being kicked in the heel swiftly.

"Well. Two for one, I like to say." The officer said as he walked over, looked at Michael and Celestia as she looked at Michael in anger.

"This was all a trick, wasn't it?!" She screamed as Michael laid motionless and in shock as he had no answer for that.

"What, from him? Heavens no, that would be insulting." The human said as he took off the modern and unknown mask he was wearing and looked down at Michael.

"I've had enough of him already." He said as Michael was stood up and his eyes went wide.

"No!" He whispered as the human, who was also quite built, but not as much as Michael himself, walked up in pride as Michael growled angrily.

"Who is he?" Rarity asked in distress.

"That's Jacob..."

"Jacob Dreamrider." He finished as we all looked at him in shock as the 'Jacob' scoffed.

"Wow. You actually remember me. That's surprising, little bro." He said Michael growled.

"YOUNGER! NOT SMALLER!" He screamed painfully and hissed from the pain as Jacob laughed and wiped a few tears from his eyes.

"Oh I love pulling that on you, you stupid fool. Should'a joined me when you were offered. But, tsk, shit happens. Right now, your nothing but a sad human who will make a great addition to my prison." He spoke sarcastically as Michael's eyes widened.

"Actually... you and her will come with me." He pointed to Celestia as they looked at each other in horror. Celestia and Michael being stuck in a cell together? Uh oh.

"Touch her, I swear, I will unscrew your head and shit down your NECK! I will fuck you from the inside out, you worthless maggot of a traitor!" He spewed and fumed as Jacob sighed in annoyance...

 _ **Michael's POV**_

"Knock 'em out, boys." He said as the ponies were instantly knocked unconscious and fell to the ground.

"As for you... I won't let so easily." He said while he grabbed his gun and turned it around, smacking me in the head and knocking me out as well...

…

 _ **Some time later...**_

…

"Rrrgh!" I awoke suddenly as I shot straight up, but fell back down in pain. I opened my eyes, my blurry vision returning to normal as I looked to my left to see Celestia sitting close and watching me with a look of concern.

"AHYEE WOAH!" I yelped as I rolled over and hit my head on the side of the wall which the bed was against. I looked back and hugged the wall as Celestia crawled onto the bed and laid down on her side in front of me.

"What the... GUARDS! HELP ME!" I screamed as I got off the bed quickly and realized there was only one bed.

A guard wearing black and red armor walked up and looked at me. He wore a fully black Kevlar-like armor suit and a gas mask as if he was part of some special operations unit

"W-what is she doing here!? SHE'LL KILL ME!" I said as the guard scoffed.

"Well, at least she'll do us a favor." He smirked and walked away as I looked slowly over to Celestia, who had made room for me on the small bed as I chuckled nervously and smiled falsely, trying to keep the environment friendly.

"I-I appreciate your efforts, but to my knowledge, I will only get in that bed with you if something drastic happens. Last I heard Hell hasn't froze over." I said as she looked at me with the same concern, her eyes looking at me as they probed my very SOUL.

"Please don't look at me like that." I asked her as she pointed to the floor and then the spot next to her.

"Are you doing this for my well-being?" I asked her as she nodded. I sighed in relief as I slowly but surely walked to the middle of the room, noticing the modern room as it, and I suspect the _prison,_ was magic proof. The bars were diamond shaped poles that had a red line at every edge...

Very sci-fi, indeed.

I shivered quickly as I noted the cold temperature and grunted in defeat as I then looked down at Celestia again... It seemed... warm and... comfortable... and... secure...

… Safe... considerate... caring...

…

"Oh God, _why?_ " I looked up and spoke to him. He sure had one sense of humor... jeez. I looked down and sat down right there, scooting to the extremely cold wall as I noted that my breath was now visible... _were we in the mountains?,_ I thought. Hm... well at any rate, my breath was clearly visibly, like the fog one would find in the mountains or the ocean.

It had to me at most 42 or 43 degrees... Too cold for a t-shirt and non-lined jeans... I was certain I would catch a cold, unless...

I looked over at Celestia, her face staring at me as she was resting her head onto the pillow, as I was now eye level. _You have got to be kidding me._ I scooted a bit closer and rested my head onto the corner of the pillow as I sniffed silently and smelled the sweet scent of vanilla and strawberries...

 _Wait a minute..._

…

 _Was that her?_ It had to be. I know I don't smell like that... smells really good... smells... edible...

…

 _AGH! NO! FUCK!,_ I thought and smacked my head and shook it as I shivered again. _Your so lucky you get to have fur... ugh... wish I could have a break from all of this..._ But I knew that I could never take a 'break'.

I was 17 and I was Michael Dreamrider and I will destroy anyone who get's in my way... if I can... _God I'm so sore and weak right now... aaaannnddd... she's still looking at me like that._

But as to what _that_ is, I didn't know... maybe I shouldn't. I laid my head back down and closed my eyes and sighed in relief that I still had something to rest on...

I don't get why Celestia just hopped on like she did. She's just strange. One minute she's trying to kill me and the next she's trying to get me in bed with her.

Strange, indeed.

"... Why won't you lay down?" I heard a familiar voice as I opened my eyes and looked face to face with Celestia again. _Why wouldn't I lay down?! T-That's like, bad! Y-your a fuckin' mare and I'm a man! DO YOU EVEN FEEL THAT SOMETHING WOULD BE WRONG?!_

I opened my mouth to speak, but I couldn't find words to respond... maybe I didn't have a reason for her question... maybe I just should lay down...

…

 _Ugh! No! Uh-uh, no way!_

"I... uhhhh...ummm... don't... know?" I looked at her and gave off a nervous smile and scooted away from her slowly. She sat up and readjusted her large wings and watched me as I was now on the other end of the room. I sat in the fetal position and rested my head on the cold bars and sighed in tiredness.

 _Why, Jacob? After all these years, why? Why can't you ever listen to your brother?_... Even I didn't know what I was thinking after all these years... Jacob has changed... And now I'll die in a cold cell alone... with her.

… Eugh... The mere thought of that is... unnerving.

"If you sit there long enough, you will catch a cold and possibly the flu... that's the last thing you need, right now." She told me like I was of some importance to her... like I was her other, or something.

"Okay, stop caring for me. Y-your freakin' me out." I said nervously and looked at her cautiously as she stepped off the bed and began to walk towards me. My eyes widened as she stood close and looked at me silently.

She sat down and looked at me in slight annoyance... but caring annoyance.

"Why do you not trust me?" She asked me innocently as I rubbed my eyes and looked at her in disbelief.

"Why don't I trust you?" I asked her back as she nodded.

"Because you hate me. You want to kill me. I'm like the bane of your existence? Doesn't any of that ring a bell?" I asked her as she shook her head in resentment.

"No, it does not... at least not any more." She said as I looked at her in horror.

"You... your bi-polar, aren't you?" I asked her in fear as she looked at me in wonder and cocked her head to the side slightly.

"Whatever gave you that impression?" She asked while putting her hoof over her chest.

"Y-your not supposed to be like this. You should be beating the shit outta me right now, and instead of that, your asking me to join you in the same small bed. Do you see what's wrong?" I asked her as she looked at me in annoyance again.

"I realize that I need you more right now than I believe I ever have... we can't escape without each others help... I realize that your not a crazed zealot like you looked like... your different... very different from the others which have tried... you are a tenderhearted human at heart... your quite a bit like me in more ways than you know... we both act different than we really are because of who we are and what we do... we both lead our own species to greater things... we both are revered as a powerful and sacred leader... we now have a common enemy... and we are now stuck in a cell." She said, explaining why she was the way she is.

"Some believe I am bi-polar, but I don't ever really know... maybe I am, but what you see now, what I am, is true. This is not a put-on... this is me caring for a friend." She said as I looked at her in wonder but kept my distance.

"Y... you really are different, aren't you?" I asked her as she only smiled a tad.

"Your... not anything that the other humans described... at all." I concluded as I looked down at my hands and neck... my neck has healed... _wait..._

…

… _How long have I been here?_

"How long... have we been here?" I asked her as she wondered.

"I would say about a month and a half." She noted as I looked at her in horror.

"Then... how is it that I'm not under any ailments?" I asked her as she chuckled lightly.

"Well... I kept you quite warm from the cold air... a ponies body heat radiates more so than humans do." She replied as I trembled in fear as my eyes shot open.

"Yo... you did what?" I asked her, my expression widening as she merely smiled a tad.

"I said... I kept you warm... I think you quite liked it... you ended up wrapping your arms around me and hugging." She concluded as I looked at my hands in horror. I grabbed my shirt and took it off as quickly as I could and threw it onto the ground and stood on my feet.

"Nonononononononononono!" I began to freak out as I took my shoes off, throwing them aside as she looked at me strangely.

"What are you doing?" She asked quickly as I took my jeans off quickly, now being exposed the cold air as I tried to get her off of me... and my clothes.

"Oh god why?! Do you even know what that says to me? I fucking slept with you! C'mon!" I said, whining as she looked at me and sighed in annoyance again.

"Fine. You don't need me. I'm fine with that." She said and squinted her eyes in anger that her actions were not in the least bit appreciated. She climbed onto the bed and laid down as she faced her back to me and shut me out as I stood alone, cold, hungry, and without anyone to talk to... maybe... what she did... wasn't so bad... maybe... she was just trying... to help...

… I looked at her as she still did not face me, my body shivering as I was now freezing, my teeth chattering in reply as I knew I would die if I didn't comply with what was in front of me... either I had to go with what I had, or die in a cell...

… death has never looked so good... but I had to take the first choice...

Sorry, Reaper, maybe later... Anyway, I looked at my clothing on the floor as I was only in my underwear. My clothing had now collected frost on it as I realized that if I got it back on it would thaw and become water, something I didn't want.

I sat in the same corner I have and shivered, considering my options. I could either (1): put my clothing on, risking pneumonia, (2): sit here and pretty much die of frostbite, or (3): do the impossible.

Seemed like impossible was that was that much more possible after I listed the options... but how in the world would I address it? I practically told her to fuck off after all she's done for me... wow. Being a jerk never felt so bad. I stood up, struggling to walk as my body was stiff from the cold.

I approached the princess as I didn't know how to address her... I stood over her, trying to speak and ask her for forgiveness for my stupid actions earlier... but nothing ever came out.

"Yes?" She asked me as she rolled over and looked at me, still angry over what happened. She looked at my current state, nothing but underwear as she sighed and blinked slowly.

"I uh... I-I'm... sorry." I said weakly as she looked at me.

"For?" She asked, wanting more out of me. _Jeez... what I have to do..._

"For acting like a jerk before... I know I would not have survived without you doing what you did... now I'm really cold, can you do something?" I asked her as she made room on the bed for me as I shook my head.

"Oh come on..."

"Michael, I did this before with you when you were in your coma. Why is it so hard accepting that you need what only I can supply?" She trapped me as I was now cornered.

"I... I don't know... it's just... that you are a mare... and... now your caring for me like I'm important... I don't know..." I said as she pointed with her wing to the spot. I hesitantly walked a step, sighing in defeat as I sat down and shrugged.

… It was surprisingly and comfortably warm. I stuck my legs along the bed and looked at Celestia as she nodded. I swear I was so embarrassed... I clenched my fists as she used her wing to lower me down onto the bed fully.

"This as far as I will go... please don't." I told her as she stopped and looked at me strangely.

"Do you not like the warmth?" She asked.

"No... it's just that... I'm... embarrassed." I finished as she sighed and chuckled lightly.

"Don't be... there's nothing to be embarrassed about." She comforted me as I was still, just a 17 -year-old who carries a huge burden... she made me feel... secure.

Right next to her... I felt everything was okay...

… She wrapped her large wings around me like a large blanket and pulled me over slightly until my back was met by a very soft and fuzzy, not to mention warm, chest of fur. I could honestly not get enough of it. It felt so damn good.

I could only scoot into it. I just was drawn to it... I couldn't get enough of it!

"Are you comfortable?" She asked me. _Oh god, more than you know._

"Y... I think so." I replied as she chuckled lightly.

"What kind of answer is 'I think so.'?" She asked.

"An answer from an overly embarrassed guy." I winced as I said those words.

"Well... this is the only way your going to stay alive now. You made a foolish decision to remove your clothing and realized it was not smart..."

"... I believe that I am the only way your going to survive." She finished as I trembled... Celestia? The only way to survive? _Nonononononononono! NO!_

"I learned during your coma that there is more important things to do than hate somepony... and in fact I've come to know that you are more than meets the eye..." She said as I turned my head and looked at her face to face.

"What?" I asked her in disbelief as my expression changed quickly.

"I need you and you need I, that's what I'm saying." She spoke to me seriously.

"Wow. The Princess of the Day needs me... that sounds so... strange." I concluded as she looked at me in wonder.

"Why?" She asked as I propped up my head on my hand and my elbow onto the pillow.

"Hhhh... okay... because Michael Dreamrider, I'm talking about my father, when he realized all of humanity was destroyed, he vowed that he would have revenge through his fellow humans on his deathbed. He vowed that _you_ were to die at our hand... I don't entirely believe that anymore." I said as she listened intently.

"I used to believe that if I had the chance, I would blow your brains out... hence why I so foolishly lost my eye..." I said as she gave an expression of sadness in remembrance of that scene.

"And, that's why I almost got killed. I knew that if I killed you, humanity would rule once again... I now realized that what I believed was the solution from overly zealous fanatics who are out for blood... the first thing I am doing when I get back-"

" _IF_ we get back." She corrected me as I shook my head.

"No, _WHEN_ we get back. Were making it out together, hell or high water... Anyway, the first thing I am doing is announcing that the Plan of Order is no longer in effect... a new plan will be formed... a diplomatic one. The Plan of Order is no longer the way that we humans should operate..."

"... But we look to have our lives changed for the better... we feel confined with The 'Conduct' that hangs over our heads."

"What is the 'Conduct'?"

"It's the Laws of Humanity... that's like the bad version the Bill of Rights. That's the Bill of No Rights." I said as she nodded and chuckled at my remark.

"Funny as it sounds, we were hoping to turn the tables and give you our own 'Laws of Ponykind' instead... we don't know how wrong we are. To deny you what your father and mother gave you is honestly just as bad as someone denying me of my right as a part of the Dreamrider family. I love my family, and I would do anything to make them happy..."

"My family grows everyday." I said as she smiled.

"My friends? They're not friends. _They_ are family. I treat my best friends like I would family... they are the ones who make memories. Not people like my brother, Jacob..."

"And they all realized things just as you did... that is what makes them so special... now I'm not saying that your all buddy-buddy with me, but consider me not an enemy anymore... you still owed me an eye." I pointed as she looked down in shame.

"But not anymore. That was my decision, and my decision alone... It sucks, but what am I gonna do..." I said as I laid down on my back and looked up.

"I never knew how good I had it until I lost it... isn't that the thing with all of us? We never know how good we have until we don't have it any longer... like you living in a castle where everyone catered to you every waking moment... Now nobody cares who you are or what you want anymore..." I said as I looked away and to the ground, folding my hands and resting them onto my chest.

"Maybe I'll get to see them again... maybe..." I began to cry as Celestia leaned into my view to see what I was breathing heavily about.

"... I hope." I closed my eyes in thought as her wings once again extended out and grabbed onto me as I looked at her strangely.

"I'm fine... really... I mean, what's a few tears to you?" I asked her as she gave me a look of "you don't fool me", convincing me she wasn't stupid... Not that I ever thought she was.

"It means quite a bit more to me now then it ever did." She responded as I looked at her shrugged.

"Well... whatever... I'm done being sad for myself..." I said as I rolled over and closed my eyes and began to shiver in coldness, my hair standing up from it's pores to grab as much heat as possible. But at that moment, two alabaster white wings wrapped around my entire frame, and pulled me close to the object of warmth as I sighed in relief.

I don't know... But she was so warm, so secure, so inviting... I felt as if I never wanted to leave where I was now... I wanted this to last...

… And last it would.

 _ **8 hours later... 7:32 AM...**_

*SLAM*

"WHAT?!" Spike jumped as the rest of the Six did the same. I looked at the map of the known world as I tried desperately to figure out where they could be hiding... They...

The ones who harshly took my new friend and once-was mentor. I would find them... if it took the rest of my life.

"Twilight, what's wrong?" Luna asked me as I looked up at her angrily.

"Everything. That's what's wrong. It's been almost 2 months and we haven't found them. I wan them found NOW!" I slammed my hoof down onto the large table again.

"We've checked every corner of the Everfree! They aren't there!" Dash said as I looked at her quickly.

"Well then search someplace else. The mountains. No Pony's Land. That's the last place, and if they aren't there then we will are completely clueless."

"But nopony will ever go in there! It's too scary and dangerous!" Fluttershy spoke up as I scoffed.

"Then I'll go in there after them." I grabbed my pack and walked out the door of the throne room, teleporting myself to my castle for a very important ingredient for helping us.

The Elements of Harmony.

"Twilight please! You cannot do this alone!" Rarity begged me as they all follow me using their magic.

"Well then your going to help me. Either you help me, or you don't. But I'm still going after them. Michael is a kindhearted human who got stuck in the middle of it. Celestia is my best friend and practically my sister. Don't bucking tell me what I can and cannot do." I shot back as I walked past them angrily, the Elements in the small chest that they resided in.

I opened the chest and put them in my saddlebag for later use as Luna walked up to me.

"I will go with you. For what it's worth, my sister is in there somewhere. If I didn't go, it'd be treason." She nodded as I looked at her and nodded once.

"I'll go too!" Dash piped up.

"Ah reckon I will." Applejack started walking.

"Oh-okay." Fluttershy whispered.

"YEAH!" Pinkie burst out and jumped up.

"I shall join you all." Rarity smiled as I looked at them.

"I will too. Damn straight we'll get 'em." A familiar voice spoke behind me as I saw Ellie standing in full combat armor, almost similar to the armor that the perpetrators wore when the incident happened.

"Those bastards don't know what they go themselves into." She pumped the stock on a traditional but rare 10-gauge shotgun.

"They _really_ didn't know who they go into." She smirked as at least 30 other humans in combat armor walked behind her and stood with weapons.

I walked up to Ellie and nodded as I outstretched my hoof and she grabbed a hold and shook it firmly. The other humans pulled their ammunition out and checked what they had... they had quite a bit.

"We got enough ammo for a whole damn army... and we'll be ready for it." She said as the other humans second the notion.

"Let's go then. Where are we headed?" She asked as I showed her a map I retrieved my saddlebag. I unrolled it and showed her.

"Were going into "No Pony's Land". We suspect they are there, since all other previous efforts bear no fruit." I told her as she nodded.

"Hmm... old legends say that a clan formed themselves into the mountains... exactly where you say."

"They call themselves the Winter Breeze... something all humans fear. Their clan is the opposite of the Dreamriders... they are solely out to destroy other humans who support the Dreamrider clan... the fact that they have Michael is like a dream come true."

"Their sole objective is to kill all Dreamriders. They will establish a new rule from the mountains and spread from there... if Michael dies, all of humanity will fall and Equestria will be next. Celestia is in fact, the second one on the list."

"What list?" Dash asked.

"The kill-list. Michael is Public Enemy Number 1... for all we know he could be dead. But we have to try." She finished as we walked past them.

"Then let's get going. We don't have time to waste." I said as the humans nodded and followed us... going into No Pony's Land is... almost suicidal. What with the freezing temperatures, not to mention the environmental creatures out for blood, the humans were the least of our problems...

Good thing we ponies have magic.

"Twilight, what are we gonna do one we get there? Ah mean it's not like we know what to do... other than gettin' them outta harm's way, right?" Applejack asked me as I looked at her.

"Well, it's a combination of things. We have to survive the freezing temperatures, fight off whatever animals come our way, and then find a way to get Michael and Celestia out safely..."

"We cannot possible do that on our own, can we?" Rarity asked as I smirked and looked up.

"That's why I'm calling in the big shots." I smirked as the others looked at me strangely.

"The one who can turn order into chaos. The master of calamity." My horn lit up as they looked at me in horror.

"DISCOOORD!" I called out loudly as he then flashed in front of us.

"Yeeeess?"

…

"Mmmmmm..."

…

"Mmmrrmhhurrmenemerrrrrmmmm..."

...?

"Whaaaaaaa?" I began to open my tired eyes and noticed all was a dark white... where was... I...

… _Wait a minute..._

I felt that my arms were wrapped around something very soft, very warm, very fuzzy, and moving... like a pulsating creature...

… I realized that I wrapped my arms around the chest of something very much... _alive._

"Mmmwwhaaa?" I cranked my head up to be faced with the expression of an inquisitive Celestia as I realized I was hugging her barrel... so warm.

I looked back down at my hands, then back up at her as she cocked her head to the side.

"Good morning... did you sleep well?" She asked me as I yelped at the realization of sleeping with her all night and giving her a full body hug for the whole of it. I rolled off and hit the floor which was 2 feet down with a loud thud and hit my head harshly.

"Michael?" She got off the bed as I held the front of my head in pain.

"Grrrrhhhh..." I growled in pain as she rolled me over on my back and made me face her.

"Are you alright?" She asked as I got up quickly, the stiffness of sleep catching up to me as I stood motionless.

"What do you think?" I asked her angrily.

"O-oh..." She retracted and looked away in shame.

"No no no, it's fine... sorry. It's just that it hurts like a bitch." I said as she looked back and nodded.

"A bit fat one, too." I said as she rolled her eyes.

"You and your words..." She clicked her tongue and shook her head.

"Well, _je_ _ee_ _ez_ , _mom_ , I didn't know." I shot back in a silly way as she looked at me strangely.

"I'm not your mother-"

"It's a human thing. Just roll with it." I said as she nodded and I stopped gripping my head and I leaned against the wall in a tired way.

She looked at me before her eyes rolled down my body once, as I looked at her strangely.

"Why did you do that?" I asked her as she snapped out of whatever it was she was in.

"Do what?" She asked, pretending that she didn't know.

"Do that with your eyes." I responded as she looked at me for a moment in a strange way.

"I don't know what your talking about." She said as I rolled my eyes.

"Okay never mind... maybe it was just me..." I said to myself as she stared at me interestingly.

 _'You don't miss a trick, do you?'._ She thought to herself as I walked past her in a stiff, almost cramped way. I wonder what I would do now...?

 _ **Celestia's POV...**_

"Goddamnit... fuck this place." He said as he grabbed the bars and shrugged in defeat.

"And I'm hungry... GUARDS!" He yelled loudly as a guard walked around the corner in a annoyed way.

"What do you want?" He asked angrily. Michael inhaled and looked at him in the same way.

"I'm pretty hungry. You wouldn't keep me in a prison if you wanted me dead. I'm pretty sure my friend here is pretty hungry too, so give her an extra ration." He said as I felt flattered that he would ask such a thing for me.

"No extra rations." The guard said as he turned around and walked away to retrieve the food.

"THEN GIVE HER SOME OF MINE!" He yelled as the guard remained his walk. Michael shrugged in defeat again as he turned around and leaned against the bars while closing his eyes and sighing in defeat.

"Ugh... when I used to say "shit happens", I never knew just how shitty shit could happen... well... I'll never look at it the same way." He said as I sat down. Obviously I was in for a while.

"And now... I'm stuck in a prison cell with..." He started as he looked at me with one eye open,"... with... a friend... and stuck here to rot."

"BUT! Michael Dreamrider doesn't go down without a fight." He said as he turned around and pondered in silence. He was obviously speaking of some kind of duel.

"Here you are." The guard came back and shoved the food of... substance in his hands. The plates were... strangely polygonal. _What in the world?_

"What in the world... what is this?" He asked the guard waved him off and walked away.

"Thanks for nothin', dick." He said as the guard just shrugged it off.

"Well... this is certainly strange." He said as he observed the food and turned around.

"What is it?" I asked him as he walked over and sat down on the bed with them and observed the food.

"Something, that's for sure... he said this was food, so... I guess we eat?" He said as he picked up a round and red sphere.

"Bottoms up." He said as he threw it in his mouth and chewed slowly. His expression showed one of wonder and interest as he finally swallowed.

"That was surprisingly good. Tasted like apples... let's see... there is 30 shapes in all, and 5 for... and..." He trailed off as he then put a few onto the other plate and handed it to me.

"Wh-What did you do that for?" I asked him as he looked up at me.

"I gave you some of mine." He replied as I shook my head and hoofed the food back.

"No. I cannot eat your portion." I explained as he held his hand up.

"Yeah you can. Sure you can. It's the least I can do for keeping me warm... even though it was kind of... strange." He explained to me as I rolled my eyes.

 _I've had my share of with fillies... He's only 17, anyway... he's practically still considered a minor... I don't understand what the embarrassment is about..._

"Well... I don't know what to say..." I was flattered and confused at once.

"Don't talk. Just eat." He pointed and shoved the plate back gently as I grabbed a green cube and bit it. It was... it tasted like lettuce... obviously these were vegetables and fruits... then what were the brown cubes?

I bit into the brown cube and tasted something... I've never tasted before. It tasted surprisingly good. It tasted... I don't know how to explain it.

"What is this?" I asked him as I ate another.

"Uhhhh..." He looked at me in horror as he looked down at the plate and then back at me.

"What? Is something wrong?" I asked him as he mouthed the words "oh dear".

"Uhhhmmm... I hope you don't mind eating meat... you just ate some beef." He said as I looked down and picked up another cube.

"So much for vegetarian." He said as I shrugged.

"It's quite good." I said while I chewed another and looked around.

"Wow... your quite something. First pony I know that eats meat... hm. I guess we all have our other side, don't we?" He said to me and then spoke to himself as I shrugged and kept eating. I walked over a few steps and sat next to him as he looked at me for a moment, before returning to eating.

He finished surprisingly fast... well he's got to feed himself some way... especially with all the muscle...

… _Let's not get carried away, now, Celestia..._

We finished around the same time as he put the plate down on the end of the bed and sat still for a moment before his head slowly snapped on my plate and then his, back to mine again.

"What?" I asked him inquisitively as he smirked.

"Our way out." He said as he grabbed my plate and his plate, dropping it on the ground and watching it smash into many pieces... one piece being long and thin with a point at the end...

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" He asked me as I looked at him and shook my head.

"Definitely not." I responded as he grabbed the long and sharp black piece and studied it.

"If I got out, I could kill the warden and get us out of here... but I would have to time it perfectly." He said as I looked at it excitedly.

"We can return back to Equestria?" I said quickly as he nodded.

"Well... I guess you could." He said as I looked at him strangely.

"Whatever do you mean? You said we would get out together, right?" I asked him as he nodded.

"Yes... but I never said I would follow you... I cannot go back to a servant life... this was the end of the road for that life. From now on, I would lead the next Dreamrider clan to victory and freedom... you got an enemy, just point 'em out... we'll get 'em for ya. That's our goal... to help. To serve... to protect..."

"... So I will be returning to the humans located somewhere in the heart or far facing edge of the Everfree... but for now, we have to get out of here." He said as I looked at him disbelief... he would change his mind when it came around, I knew he would...

…

… _wouldn't he?_

He got up quickly and looked at the bars... his expression changed to one of victory.

"I have an idea. But I require you to act as if you hate me again... they don't know that we have resolved that... in fact, they think were enemies... here's how it goes: I will hid against the far wall in the shadows, and you will call the guard... next, when he finds I'm not here, he'll walk in and you'll point under the bed as if there is a secret passageway... then I'll kill 'im." He finished as I looked at him surprisingly.

"Your willing to kill?" I asked as he nodded.

"My forefather's words were: "Don't kill unless your ready to die.". I learned that when I was chased by the royal guards, and even more so when you almost killed me. You taught me more than I can ever take away... now get into position and act like you mean it. Act like you want me to get hurt _really_ bad." He said as I nodded and walked over, inhaling and blinking slowly.

"GUARD!" I yelled loudly and desperately. I acted as if Michael hit me in the side of the head as I saw Michael give me a thumbs up.

"What?" He walked over angrily.

"He-He tried to kill me! He's trying to escape under the bed! You've got to stop him!" I growled as I stumbled to walk and he laughed.

"Try again. He's not going anywhere." He said as I used my back hoof to kick a piece over to the bed area and made the guard look towards the position.

"HEY!" He yelled as he opened the door with his hand, the bars disappearing as the guard walked over quickly, Michael silently walking over like a predator stalks his prey.

He kicked the guard's back of the right knee and wrapped his hand around the right side of his head, exposing his neck to the homemade knife as he plunged it in, silencing the guard as he fell silently to the ground.

"He's right here, stupid!" He mimicked the voice of the dead guard as Michael slipped off all the armor and slipped it onto him silently.

"I can't believe you." He mimicked the voice again as we silently walked out of the prison.

Now we had to escape... what a task.

 **End of Chapter 4**

 **That was certainly... quick for that guard. Do I sense slight sadness on Celestia's part about Michael not wanting to go back to Equestria?**

 **Yeah, I do. Making a great friend and then telling them you are not going to travel their path would suck really bad... Maybe she wants to avoid that... but Michael is still currently deciding inside, ever though he looks like he made up his mind.**

 **Can any of you figure out what he will end up doing next?**

 **If you do, you'll get a congratulations from me in a PM and in the next chapter! Leave your answer/comments in the review section and be sure to follow and/or favorite the story if you like it and want to get a feed on it whenever a new chapter is out! 'Til next time, fellow bronies and pegasisters!**


	5. Jailbreak!

**Hello, hello. Welcome back to MLP: The Last Dreamrider**

 **The story so far;**

 **Michael, has now realized the flaw of the humans and took action, with the help of Celestia, assassinated the guard silently, slipping himself in the armor to blend in with the other humans easily. Michael has seemingly made up his mind, but one can never be too sure of one's decisions.**

 **Celestia, now realizing that Michael will seemingly not return to Equestria has now left her with another task. She has to stop him from deciding that for good and convince him that he must come back to Equestria with her... if she doesn't, she may never see him again... something that she desperately tries to avoid.**

 **Twilight, now angry and desperate that she cannot find Michael and Celestia, she has reached the decision to find Michael and Celestia with or without her friends. Her friends, undoubtedly decided to stick with her as they always have throughout the years of knowing her to find Michael and Celestia in No Pony's Land. She finally recruited the one of most high power, Discord, King and Sovereign ruler of Disharmony and all things Chaotic.**

 **Ellie, now sick and tired of waiting around, coincidental recruited the help of the elite human Assault Team to go into No Pony's Land and infiltrate the human-made fortress of fire, ice, and steel. The Assault Team is consisted of 30 in all, including Ellie, the CO.**

 **And that's it so far...**

 **You'll see more in this story's chapter. And there is a cookie about a certain sci-fi game character.**

 **If you _REACH_ far enough back in time, you might find out.**

 **Begin!**

 **Here We Go; Let's Do This**

"W-what do we do now?" She asked me as I looked at the Heads-Up Display (HUD), through my helmet.

"Private First Class Jonathan Merck. Alright..." I said to myself as I looked to Celestia.

"We get out, that's what." I said quietly as I pulled out the knife and studied it... light... fragile. Not what my knife was like... but good enough. I couldn't wait to get my knife back... I could feel it calling me.

"Now I need you to be quiet... this is the time where I can't have you screw up." I said as I rolled my eyes at myself for saying such an insulting remark.

"Okay, I'm _really_ sorry for saying that. I feel like a jerk now..." I shook my head as she waved it off.

"It's fine... I know this is serious." She replied as I nodded. I had to come up with a plan... quickly.

"Okay... I'm going first to clear the rooms of enemies. You stay behind and watch my back." I said as she shook her head in rejection.

"No. I am immortal... I cannot die by such petty weapons as they do. You are different. You can die from these weapons." She told me as I nodded.

"True true, but I've gotten this far... actually... you can help a lot." I said to her as I snapped my fingers and looked at her in happiness.

"You can distract them! Then I'll go and kill them! It's perfection!" I said in a slightly crazy manner as she shrugged in compliance and walked up to the bars.

"Hey, what are you d-" A guard came around the corner and looked in shock and froze at the sight. I threw the knife quickly and hit his eye, piercing it and killing him as he fell to the ground silently.

"Whew... that was close." I said as Celestia looked at me, surprised.

"I never knew you could do so much... it was no wonder you were bought for a large price." She noted aloud as I looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"And I plan to pay every bit back." I replied as she looked strangely at me as if she was confused.

"Why?"

"Because... humans aren't bought. I'll find a way... whether it's working it off... getting the money from donations... nah, I'll just rob a bank." I said to myself as Celestia looked at me in shock.

"Wh-what?" She said as I waved the notion off.

"Don't worry. It'll be fine... now let's get out of here." I finished as I walked silently forwards, up to the wall and dragged the body silently to the shadows... the walls were black with the same red lines at the edges of shapes... strange.

I peeked around the corner and saw guard standing there with a rifle at the ready. I had the idea to tell him that he could take a break... he looked as if he was standing there for a while.

"Hey." I walked forwards, my knife hidden behind my wrist as he looked at me and face me.

"What?"

"You can take a break now, I'll take over." I said as I grabbed the rifle from my back and he nodded.

"Thanks... I've been here quite a while. Heh, the last guy had the worst job. He had to go back and forth because the two lovebirds were never happy... hehe." He said as he turned around and Celestia walked around the corner.

I plunged the knife into his neck as he gasped in pain.

"Shhhh..." I said as he gargled blood and fell to the ground. I wiped the knife off and looked at my ammo counter. I had 17 shots in my clip and 68 shots extra... I had 4 secondary magazines. I doubt I would use it, though. The rifle said it was using 7.72 millimeters. Hm...

I grabbed a magazine from his gun and placed it in my empty ammo pocket and saw my ammo counter go up to 95. Now I had 5 secondary magazines.

"C'mon... let's go." I said as I clipped the rifle on my back and pulled out my secondary pistol. The HUD explained that the gun was a 4-shot, heavy caliber, double-action revolver... it used energy instead of bullets...

Energy cartridges. It showed I had 32 shots left. 8 cartridges. I holstered the gun back and dragged the body into the shadows and resumed my takeover of this base... however large it was.

I took a left and found another guard. I decided I would use them to my advantage.

"Hold." I said to Celestia as she nodded and hugged the wall. I walked over to the guard and engaged a chat with him.

"Hey, this is my first day on the job... do you know where the exit of the prison is? I-I'm kinda lost." I said in a weak, wimpy voice.

"Ya take a left, a right, then go for the next couple hundred feet or so until you reach the third right, and then that the end of the cell block. What's your name?" He asked as I looked up at the name at the upper-lefthand corner.

"PFC Jonathan Merck." I told him as he nodded.

"Oh yeah, the new kid. Well you'll like it here, 'cause there's nothin' to do." He told me as I nodded.

"Where are the other cells?" I asked him as he thought.

"You take a left, a right, and then at the first left, take it, and the turn right, and then the hallways with cells are there. Looks like the recent guy got a special area located in the back of the prison block... I don't know."

"Thank you, sir." I said as he nodded... How would I get Celestia through here without being detected?

"Yeah... I was told to take a position here, so I guess I'll just take it here." I explained.

"Sure. Least now I'll get to talk to someone." He said as I nodded.

"So what made you join the clan?" I asked him as he smiled.

"Well, I always imagined of joining the Dreamcrusher Clan... it was... a way to serve The Second without being an enemy..." He said as I looked at him strangely.

"The... Second?" I asked him as he scoffed.

"You don't know the Second? Jacob Dreamrider?" He said as I nodded.

"Oh yeah, it's just that... I never heard him by that name." I told him as he nodded.

"Yeah... the name kinda fits, y'know?" He said as I burned in anger inside that Jacob would name him as such.

"I always heard that name went to Michael... the guy in prison over there." I pointed as the guard shrugged.

"Yeah... the prisoners always say that Jacob the Second slandered the name... he made it better." He said as I was tempted to shoot him on the spot.

"When was the first Michael born?" He asked me as I explained.

"May 7th. Just like the guy in prison. I heard that he was named Michael like his father because of how he was born on the same day of the war..." I replied as he looked at me strangely.

"How do you know all that?"

"I did a lot of research on Jacob and Michael before I went into the Dream... Crushers." I said as I swallowed my pride.

"I wish that I could see Jacob. That'd be something I'd like." I said as the guard smirked.

"I got to see him once... he told me that I had an important job, protecting this prison from Mike." He said as I inhaled and sighed in annoyance at Jacob for nicknaming me that.

"Mikey got what he was askin' for." He said as I nodded.

"Mm." I grunted in acknowledgment as as nodded as well.

"Yeah... the world wouldn't be the same without Jacob."

 _T'yeah. It'd be better._

"Yeah it wouldn't... it wouldn't at all." I said as I walked over to the guard.

"Hey, why do you take a break, and I'll take over for ya for a little while, okay?" I asked him as he hesitated.

"Well... I'm supposed to be guarding this... aw whatever." He said as I smiled and patted him on the shoulder as I silently got my knife ready as soon as I was out of his view.

I placed my hands on his shoulders and swiftly kicked his tailbone with my kneecap and grabbed him by his neck and stabbed the side of his head. Blood poured out slowly as I undressed him once I saw he was a higher rank than I was.

"Don't count on it, fool." I said to him.

I got into his suit and combined ammunition to get 170 secondary ammo. Enough for 10 clips. I took his pistol and retrieved 32 shots of energy as I dragged his body into the shadows.

"I can't... not now..." I heard in the shadows as I also heard the sound of crying... what? _… What's going on?_

"Celestia?" I called out as she walked out of the shadows slowly, her face streaming with tears as I looked at her strangely.

"What's wrong?" I asked her as she looked at me and cried more, throwing her arms around me as she trembled and hiccuped.

"I -I want to s-see my sister again! I-I can't do it alone!" She said as I looked at her face-to-face.

"Your not doing it alone. I'm here and as long as I am, you will see your sister again. You have been through too much with your sister not to see her again. If you deserve to die, it's to die in the company of friends. Now stop your crying and let's get to the next checkpoint, okay?" I told her as she nodded and hugged me again... why she was like this all of a sudden baffled me. But I guess I was to roll with it, I guess...

I walked with her throughout the halls until I reached the other prison cells. I told Celestia to hold back until I called her.

These were humans... all of them. Obviously they were enemies of the Dreamcrusher clan, and otherwise, my friends.

"Hey." I said to them all as they stirred to life from ignoring me.

"Come to execute someone, have you?" The woman to my left said as I shook my head.

"Not as long as I'm here." I said as I looked back.

"Celestia." I called her as she walked around the corner and observed the other humans as they all looked with horrified faces.

I took my helmet off and looked at them all as they looked at me in disbelief.

"Not as long as Michael Dreamrider is still alive." I said as they got on one knee and bowed respectfully.

"Don't. And another thing, Princess Celestia is with me... whether you believe it or not, we're good." I told them as another human walked up to the bars.

"How do we know your the real Michael?" He asked me as I looked at him.

"Good question, you don't..."

"... wait, the _real_ Michael?" I asked him as he nodded.

"Many spies try to play the part, we hear, and they train to act like the _real_ Michael... but only one way distinguishes Michael Dreamrider from the rest." He said as I was sure that he wouldn't tell me.

"Uhm... I don't know. I have this necklace, but-"

"WHAT?!" The other humans all asked at the same time as the human clung to the bars.

"Let me see that." He said with wide-eyes.

"This is my necklace of proof that I am who I speak I am." I said as the human studied it.

"He's good." He said as the other human whooped a few times and some thanked god that I was here.

"Well. Now that your here, can you help us out?" He asked as I nodded.

"How many of you are there?" I asked as he counted on his fingers.

"Just 7. Including me."

"Hm... alright. I'll see what I can do."

"Wow! Michael the Second! Right here in front of us going to be saving us! That's like, my dream!" Another human said as I smirked.

"They don't call me Michael I. Dreamrider 'the Second' for nothin', folks." I said as I opened their cells the same way the guard did ours. He pressed a button located on the far right bar... obviously it only works if your in a suit.

"Aw thanks!"

"Woohoo!"

"Great. Nice to be out of here..."

And they went on... Celestia smiled at me and admired my respect for the common person as I walked over and gathered the humans around.

"Now I know that you all admire me and know that Equestria is the enemy and all that shit, but this time, Celestia is with me... you could say that she saved my life." I said as the humans nodded.

"Why do you have an eye-patch? I thought you didn't have one." The lead humans asked me as I looked down sadly.

"Well... uhm... let's not talk about that right now, we need to be going." I avoided the question as I walked briskly forwards, Celestia trotting to catch up with me.

"Why don't you tell them?"

"Because they will think your still the enemy... I don't want you killed... your too much of an asset as well as a friend for that... and I made a promise. I intend to keep it."

"Let's do this..."

"So, Twilight, how will we get to 'No Pony's Land'?" Spike asked me as Ellie and the rest of us ponies looked at me.

"Well, the Everfree blocks the entrance a little bit, so it's like a few miles through the forest and then we'll be on our way to the humans." I explained as Ellie nodded.

"Alright. But I must warn you, I have three squads..." She started, "... each of my squads consists of ten people. In each squad there are two snipers, three supporters/defenders, 4 on the assault, and a Juggernaut." She said as I nodded until she mentioned the last.

"The jugga-what now?" Rainbow asked as Ellie inhaled.

"The Juggernaut. He is the largest and most strongest person in each squad... he is meant for highly defensive or highly offensive attacks, although they are slow, they pack large amounts of firepower and armor." She explained as we got the idea.

"The Juggernauts go hand-in-hand with the supporters because they do the same thing most of the time. Although it may not make sense to you, but they are the main force in offensively defensive attacks. These rubies of war even carry a bullet-proof shield." She said as one of the Juggernauts from her own squad walked up.

"These are the game winners in close-range combat." She said as the Juggernaut stayed silent. His large armor and scary mask made it all that more frightening to look at.

"But George over here is a softy when it comes to everything else." She said as George stayed silent.

"Right?"

"I guess you could say that... it's just that I like to make other feel better when their not fighting a nasty, bloody war." He said in a slight accent, a bit like Luna's.

"So you do or don't condone war?" Luna asked.

"I don't condone it, I just join it because it ends quicker if we all pitch in." He said as we nodded and acknowledged the notion he mentioned. It was quite... confusing, but after enough thought, it clicked.

"Ah think that's a great way to think about it. Ah know exactly how ya feel, partner."

"Thanks." He replied.

"But I still don't know why Michael's brother would want to take Michael and hurt him. Don't they love each other?" Fluttershy asked me as Ellie stepped in. She knew more at this point than I do.

For one of the very first times, somepony knew more than I did.

"No. Jacob Dreamrider hated Michael because he got more attention than he did all the time. Michael was destined for things greater, but Jacob wouldn't let him... the legend goes that Jacob gave up Michael for a slave when Michael was merely an infant child... Jacob lied about what happened to Michael to his parents, and when their parents died, Jacob formed a clan known as the Dreamcrusher Clan... a name that every human dreads."

"Only one human can take it down... and that's Michael I. Dreamrider himself."

"Oh... um... how did his parent's die?" Applejack asked as I looked at her for a moment and then at Ellie again.

"Well... I don't really know that much about Michael..." She told us as we nodded.

"Okay then. We'll just ask him when he get's back, right?" Rainbow said as we looked at her and shrugged.

"If he get's back." George said as we all nodded.

"But he will... right?" Rarity asked as Ellie shrugged.

"We don't know. They could either be weak and we could break their defenses easily, or they could be strong... and we would not be able to reach them." Ellie spoke in defeat already as we looked down in defeat as well.

"But Michael wouldn't do that. He has too much fight in him to do such a thing." George reassured us as we nodded and smirked in pride as we were fighting alongside the humans as one unit... something that hasn't been done before.

And we were part of it.

"Here we are. Up ahead." I pointed as we looked up on the ridge... we had about 7 miles uphill we had to travel to get to the lowest parts of the mountains to even reach the humans... what a task we had ahead of us.

"Alright, everypony, gather 'round." I said to them as they turned around and gathered as told. I opened the large map of Equestria with my magic and grabbed a stick as a pointer.

"We are here." I pointed down a few inches down from the base of the mountains as they acknowledged silently.

"We have several miles to go before we reach the top of the hill, which is the bottom of the mountains... do you all notice the drop in temperature?" I asked them as they nodded.

"That's because the snowy mountains is just ahead... during the hiking we might come across the snow that covers the mountains... so enough of that, let's move on..."

"When we get to the mountain, we are going to need to find and camp somewhere where we can be protected from the environment, the animals, and even the rogue humans which lurk around there... as the legend is told, if Michael is here... The Dreamcrushers will have no problem killing us." I told them.

"Whaddya mean _'if'_ Michael is here?" A male human asked as I looked at them all.

"If he isn't here... then he isn't here. And we'll search somewhere else... but I can feel that one who possesses magic is somewhere nearby... even if they are about 3 days away." I told them as they all looked surprised and shocked.

"You can... feel him?" Another female human asked as I nodded.

"I can feel one who uses magic... Celestia." I told them as they shook their heads.

"We're not doing this for her. We're doing this for Him." Another male human, a younger one, announced

"But where ever they took Michael, they took Celestia... Michael doesn't use magic... it's something else that we've never seen before... something that his forefather had. But only Michael the First had such thing." I explained.

"How do you know?" Ellie asked me as I looked towards her.

"I did some research once Michael and Celestia were taken captive... Michael the First had, through many various accounts, was told to be invincible like our Michael is. The fire-like glow that he own is something that we've never known... I'm sure that your fellow humans have records of that." I told them as they looked around.

"Now let's stop talking and start walking. We have a long way to go." I told them as I removed the map from sight and placed it back in my saddlebag.

"You heard 'er. Let's roll 'em out." Ellie said as the humans nodded and followed her as we walked ahead and led the group...

… _I can't... I can't believe it... we are actually helping the humans... would it ever possible if under any other circumstances?_

We reached the forested part of the Everfree Forest and walked through the large opening... it was so beautiful now I saw it in full array... the green vegetation... the large and sturdy trees... everything. This was one of few times I would venture into the Everfree because of an important reason...

… But everypony knows that you don't wander into the Everfree forest without a good reason in mind. The Everfree is much too dangerous just take a stroll in... unless you were only trailing the beginning belt of it around the main part.

The center is filled with beings that someponies say are beyond the works of Tartarus itself. The creatures which dwell are not for the eyes of a first-timer. What with Discord's Seeds of Doom that he tried to rob The Tree with and all, we've had our share of experience.

Not to mention the part where we all ended up in the Old Castle that the royal sisters used to reside in... That was... many a moon ago, when we were still ignorant... but aren't we still? That was... about a year and a quarter ago. Almost a year and a half... but now we had to deal with the creatures of the No Pony's Land...

No Pony's Land is... a worser, colder, snowy, mountainous version of the Everfree... so I thought we had it bad when the Everfree was ahead of us... now we'll see what really lies ahead...

What we have to deal with soon is more than others dare even think to dare with...

It wouldn't be called No Pony's Land for nothing.

"Celestia?" I looked at her as she returned the same.

"Yes?"

"When we go back to... when _you_ go back to Equestria, will you still hate us humans like you did before?" I asked her as she looked at me and chuckled a bit.

"Silly human. No I will not... I will treat them as they deserve, yes, but I will not hate them any longer... such things isn't good for a princess, much less an Alicorn... when you returned and reunite with your humans, will you remain to hate us ponies still?" She asked me back.

"I never _really_ hated you all in the first place. I just really didn't like _you_ , Celestia, that's all. I wouldn't dare even think of it, heavens no... humans aren't built to hate... they've been built for the other end of the spectrum... yes, they will defend themselves and they will wage war better than you'll ever find another perform... but deep inside, humans are... really soft. Even the hardest and coldest of people still are a soft and kind person inside... even though their polluted shell says otherwise."

"Even now, the humans which dwell in Equestria, they... still are just people. They are still just small, kind souls inside who look for better and greater opportunities..." I finished as I felt tears fall from my eyes as I looked back.

"Please don't forget that." I asked her as her face showed one of shock at my sudden emotion.

"Oh I'm sorry... am I crying?" I asked her, forgetting I was for the moment... I loved humanity. I loved the emotions and memories I could share with them... I loved relating to them and meeting with them as I find others I can speak to about my problems...

… I don't believe ponies are quite like that... yet... they haven't found what we have. They don't have faith... they have hope, yes, but... they lack faith. That is why humanity was and soon will be considered the superpower of the world... not because we have more weapons... not because we have more units...

… not because we have a better economy... not because we have more resources... and certainly not because were just _'better'_ than everyone else...

… But because we have faith in ourselves... and our friends.

Something that other races used to look up at and say: "Wow... would ya look at that... I wish I had that."... and they could've. If they would not have both shout us down and say: "We don't need them or whatever they have!"...

… like all races treat us now... which is why I was born on May 7th. Which is why my name is Michael I. Dreamrider.

Which is why I was destined for the job that my forefather, Michael the First, could never accomplish... sometimes I feel like he's still with me, even though I never knew him... but I knew him. This is why I wear his necklace.

The first Dreamrider necklace. My forefather's necklace...

The one that all other humans bow to... but that's not why I was given this. I was given this because I was destined, as you know, to lead us to freedom... not into slavery like the ponies have.

"Hold." I stated quietly as they all froze by the wall and looked at me.

"Two guards... okay they are both the same rank as I am." I told them as they looked at me in confusion, wondering what to do. Around the corner they faced each other like I was with the other guards.

"They can't see my face... they don't know who I am inside... Celestia, lure one of them over here." I told her as she rolled her eyes.

"And how will I do that?" She asked me quietly.

"I don't know... feminine wiles, maybe?" I asked her as she looked at me and blushed.

"Oh fine!" She grumbled and blushed as she stood in front of me and cleared her throat.

"Make yourself sound like a human!" I whispered as she nodded and rolled her eyes.

"Hey pretty boy..." She said as I restrained from letting my sudden hormones take over. The first guard looked quickly towards the sound as Celestia shook her head.

 _Damn she's good..._

"Yeah, you... walk those legs over here, I got somethin' for ya." She continued as I became a bit dizzy from the large surge of energy which began to flow through my body.

"He's coming!" A human said to me as I nodded.

"J-just stop, Celestia!" I told her quietly as she looked back and saw me as I pulled out my knife. _Goddamn hormones._

"What in the world?" He walked around the corner as I stabbed the inside of his throat and into his brain as he stopped and fell silently to the ground.

I walked around the corner as the other guard looked at me.

"What was that?"

"I don't know." I mimicked his voice as I shrugged.

"I know this," I started as I walked over and stabbed the other guard's neck, ", your dead." I said as I let him down quickly and shook my head in disgust.

"Jeez, Celestia... what the hell did you _do?_ " I asked her as she blushed and looked at me with a shocked expression.

"W-Whatever do you mean?"

"I mean, what in God's name is up with you? All off a sudden I felt like I was going brain-dead from what you said! Are you sure your not using magic?" I asked her as she blushed harder and shook her head.

"No."

"Oh fine. Maybe it is just me..." I said as I grabbed the knife from his throat and pulled it out. The sound of a sharp knife going into someone's throat was by far... fulfilling.

I looked at the other humans as I walked forwards and led the way again. _Why am I so prone to her? Is it something inside me? Damned if I know..._

I looked around the next corner as I gave 'em a thumbs up. The way things were going, we could easily make it out of here with our lives...

…

… But then came the assault team. We were horrified with the sound of many different humans running down the next hallway as I told the group to get back quickly.

"BACK NOW!" I told them as they ran around the corner. I grabbed the other revolver from the dead guard.

I hid around the corner across from the group as I got both steel hand-cannons ready for combat... maybe we wouldn't get out so quietly.

"Down here!" The CO said as I was afraid of my group as I was sure they would be captured again.

"Looking for somepony?" Celestia rushed out and stood as the humans stopped and readied their guns.

"FIRE!" The CO said as I dropped the guns at the sound and then was destroyed as I heard the sound of gunfire and saw Celestia fly back with holes in her, blood everywhere.

"Wha... no..." I looked as my tears now fell freely and I grabbed the guns.

"GRAAAAAAAHHH!" I screamed as my body glowed of fire, my eyes especially as I turned around the corner and cocked the hammers back and pulled the triggers.

*BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM*

*Shhh thunk*

… And every single one of them dropped. 8 shots... 8 heads... 8 kills.

I turned around and looked at the sight of death as the rest of the humans looked in horror as I dropped the guns again and fell to my knees.

"No... no no no no no no no no no no no no!" I begged to no one, looking over that Celestia laid motionless along the floor in the sad array of death as I cried and hit the ground on my side... I tried to get the thought of her being shot out of my mind.

"WHY!?" I screamed as I was now trembling in fear and sadness... I never wanted her to die in the first place...

 _Why God?... WHY HER?! WHYYY?!_

"What the hell..." A human said as I looked up to see Celestia leaning over me and smiling.

"Don't be sad... I'm still immortal." She smiled as I cried harder and hugged her as I hated to see friends die because of my stupid decisions...

"Don't... ever... scare me like that again." I told her as she shook her head.

"No need... just remember that I'm immortal and you'll save yourself the heartache." She smiled as she picked me up and looked at me seriously.

"For me to die like that would be insulting." She looked at me seriously and almost angrily.

"Alright... fine. But don't do that without my consent first!" I told her as she nodded.

"Yes... I'll try to remember that." She replied, picking my guns up and handing them back to me. I pulled the slides on them and ejected the cartridges and replaced them quickly, holstering one and carrying my knife in my left hand.

"Jeez..." I wiped my tears away as the other humans followed behind.

"They probably know we're here now... so get ready for a lot of action. The Dreamcrushers don't take lightly to enemies." I told them as they nodded... then came the sound. The sound of an alarm... an alarm accompanied by footsteps of at least 20 or thirty.

They knew who I was and what I could be capable of... so I found a way out which was somehow conveniently placed there. A vent! _Great! We can use this..._

"Everyone! Into the vent!" I yelled as I ripped it off and threw it aside. The filed in quickly and quietly as they also slid down into whatever it was they slid into.

"Down here!" A voice said as I grabbed the large grate and fit into the vent as I placed it over the area it needed to be and observed the group of soldiers who stood motionless, listening for a sound as I held the grate with all my might, sweating from head to toe with adrenaline pumping through my veins.

 _NO!_

I gripped the grates as hard as I could but alas, I was weak and could not hold on any longer as I let go and slipped and slid down the vent, alerting the guards of my presence.

"Down there!"

"Don't! You could die down there, private, we had enough of that back there!" The CO said as I finally hit the end of the slide and into a large room that consisted of a large fan... I wondered why the grates were there in the first place, but as fate would have it, I couldn't possibly care less at the moment.

I looked down to see I had landed onto Celestia as she looked at me in what seemed like shock and embarrassment as I got off her quickly and stood up. _Shit... they know where we are._

"Listen up, people. They know where we are. So we have to move."

"You, are you the leader of these humans?" I pointed to the one with black hair and dark brown eyes.

"Well I was the leader of the 4-man scouting group, but I-"

"Then lead your 4 people. I'll lead the other three. Got it?" I told him as he nodded quickly.

"Take this. You'll need it." I told him as I handed him the rifle.

"Thanks. What about you?"

"I got these... and I got her." I motioned towards my guns and then at Celestia as she smiled.

"Now move. These guys want me and me alone, so consider yourselves ghosts until found. Now scram!" I told them as the nodded and went through the side door and filed through quickly. I took the main door and opened it quickly, running through the first room as I stopped abruptly and looked at the signs.

The door to my left had a sign which said: "Janitor's Room". The second door to my right said: "Utility Room"... The third door in front said: "Stairs".

Just what I was looking for. I opened the door and burst through as the humans and Celestia never left my side. We jogged quickly up the metal stairs as I looked through the first door crack that was left open... obviously an empty room.

We jogged silently up to the second room which this time, let us struck gold. The security room for the prison rooms and prison block. Just what I was hoping for... not much, but it will help.

"Fire team Omega, we've lost sight of them. I repeat, we've lost sight of them." A voice said into what seemed like a communicator. I took off my black upper torso suit as I realized I was blazing hot and sweating like a bitch in heat. It even relieved the weight as well.

I looked behind to see the frightened humans and confused Celestia as I shook my head.

"Okay... what I need you to do is slam the door when I motion like this to do so," I started, showing Celestia when I pulled down on my gun, that was the signal.

"Why?"

"Because I need you all to stay alive. Slam the door when I give you the signal, okay? Then get away from the door."

"Alright... we can do this." Celestia acknowledged.

"Ready?" He told me as I nodded. He snuck into the room as I kept the door open a tad to wait for his signal... I had to time it right.

He snuck around the two security guards and looked at me and pulled down quickly. I hugged the wall quickly and kicked the door with my left hindhoof.

*SLAM*

"Huh?"

*BOOM BOOM*

"What the hell?"

*BABABABABABABA BOOM*

…

"... Aw... damn..." I heard inside as I opened the door a tad and saw the holes in the wall around the two guards who had their heads exploded from the impact of the object... and Michael, who was slowly struggling and failing to stand up.

"Jesus Christ..." He said as his left hand was gripped over his side as blood was over his hand and gut area, dripping quickly to the floor and collecting as a puddle as my breath was stolen at that instant... to see him like this gave me a sense of...fear.

Fear that he wouldn't make it.

"Michael!" I whispered as my breath and voice was no longer with me. I rushed over and assessed the wound from a viewpoint and caught him from falling.

"Don't bother... just help me to that chair." He pointed with his gun and I carried him over quickly... I felt as if a sense I never knew I had was unlocked at that moment.

An almost... motherly sense.

"Ah!" He yelped and hissed in pain as he bent down and sat on the chair and looked at the panels.

"Okay... here we go." He said as he leaned forwards and looked at the buttons and such.

"Michael?" I called him as he looked at me and squinted his eyes as if his vision wasn't so well.

"Are you okay?" I asked him as he looked at me strangely.

"Do I look okay?" He shot back as I retracted and looked down as if what I said was offensive.

"DAMNIT!" He yelled, slamming his fist down on the desk and gritted his teeth as he hissed in pain.

"What do we do now?" A human asked me as I looked back.

"We stay calm, that's what we do now. This was run by Michael, but now he's been injured... I don't know what to do."

"Well we can't do anything now that he's been shot... I mean it's not like he's gonna get up and walk again, he's too weak for that!" Another human protested as I heard grunting behind me. I looked back for a moment and noticed Michael.

" **Don't tell me what I can and cannot do... right now it is I who is saving you, not the other way around... for all I care I should just leave you..."** He said as his eyes and inner mouth glowed as well as his blood.

"Michael?" I looked at him and back up as he seemingly became larger and now almost half a foot taller than me, as now his muscles grew 300% larger.

" **... in fact... maybe that's what I should do..."** He smirked as he walked over to the human.

" **You seem like the fairweather type... you maggot."** He growled in the human's face as he shook in terror and fell down and backed up.

"Wh-what's with him?!"

" **This is who I am... deal with it."** He smirked as I walked into his view.

"We need to go Michael, with or without him, we don't have much time!" I pleaded with him as he looked at me.

" **Then let's go."** He acknowledged and shrunk back to his former self, the heat from his body partially sealing the wound as he gripped it again.

"Damn... it still hurts." He complained as he walked over to a guard and ripped off a piece of clothing and tied it around his waist tightly to stop some of the bleeding. He walked back over to the stairs and began to walk up them, struggling to do so.

"Fuck... Rrrnngh! Gah..." He grunted loudly as he made it a flight of stairs and then collapsed.

"I can't do it... it's too hard..." He said as I looked at him and frowned.

"It's too _hard_? That's what Michael Dreamrider says after all this? A simple wound is going to stop him? NO! Pick yourself up and get up those stairs!" I commanded him as he nodded and picked his frame up by the handrail, leaping up the stairs and reaching the next flight.

The next room though, was up 8 flights... Michael would have a hard time getting up those.

"GRAAH!" He grunted loudly again as he walked up the flights of stairs on his own, making me smile in happiness at how strong he was... he was also very stubborn. Almost more thick-headed as my sister is... almost.

But at least he knows what to do when he needs to do it and why...

"So. Many. Stairs." He huffed and sighed as he reached the last flight of stairs and collapsed again.

"Unnnngghhh..." He grunted and shook as he picked himself up again.

"It's not... that it's hard... it's that... I'm hurt..." He said, out of breath and sweating like a mare in heat... I wondered if he would be able to make it back to society without... losing the will or capability.

… He would never lose the will to fight... but he would lose the capability to go on.

"Any of you? Could you maybe carry him?" I looked back and asked them as they looked and shook their heads. They were skinny and obviously out of shape...

… and Michael with all of his muscle should weigh at least 210 pounds or so. Much too heavy for these humans.

"We cannot make it alone. Either we help him or all go up in smoke." I told them as they didn't comply.

"Fine! Wh-"

"Grrrrrrr..." Michael growled as he stood up and shook in pain as he made it up to the door which didn't read anything... but there was a sign next to it which read: "Prison Floor 1". This must have been the ground floor... this could be good or bad, depending on how much more Michael could take.

"Let's go." I told the rest of the humans as they nodded and I walked through the door without Michael's consent.

"Wait!" He said as I walked through anyway and observed the surroundings.

"Holy shit." Michael spoke in awe as we saw hundreds, even thousands of prison cells like ours as we all stood motionless.

"There! There they are!" A voice said above the railing directly in front of us as we began to run for the nearest wall so we wouldn't be under their sight.

*BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM*

"Michael!" I looked back to see him reloading the gun and pulling whatever it was back with his thumb and aiming it at the guard above again to shoot.

"We have to go!" I grabbed his arm and pulled him quickly and strongly as he ran with me quickly.

"Commence firing on sight, Echo team." A voice said as we all dreaded the sound.

*BOPBOPBOPBOPBOPBOP* Went the sound of weapons going off as one of the humans fell to the ground in a hail of fire as she was torn apart by the guns.

"Go go go!" A voice said as we all ran faster than we ever have before. We had already made half the way to the next wall for cover.

*BOPBOBBOPBOPBOPBOPBOP* Went the sound of another weapon going off as another human was shredded instantly as the projectiles, glowing red as they impacted and seemingly exploded in a small, contained blast.

"FIRE!" Another voice said as a large projectile impacted about 20 feet in front of us, exploding loudly as the human in front was caught in the explosion and fire, throwing us back instantly as we used the smoke for cover for a moment and kept running.

It was just us two now, and we were the next target.

 **End of Chapter 5**

 **Dun dun dun, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Michael's life. Where he ends up dragging his friends and family into his problems as he fights for his life with the Princess of the Day.**

 **The question is, will they survive? Will Michael be able to help in his critically injured condition, or will he be a drag to the Princess in her efforts to save them? Seeing as how Michael has been injured, Celestia now took over and leads the operation.**

 **Though, the humans who died are not her fault. Collateral damage and the cost of war. Two sayings that every soldier and war hero alike dread fearfully.**

 **Thanks for reading, folks! The next installment will be along shortly, (I hope), so don't forget to follow or favorite if you like the story and would like a feed on my updates! Leave a review, (if you want), and tell me how I did!**

 **Seeya next time!**


	6. The Great Escape pt 1

**Hey hey, everyone. Y'know I was wonderin'. Why is it that my stories aren't popular? Why is it that my stories aren't up with some of the best of them?**

 **Hm. I think _I_** **can answer this one. I'm thinkin' that they need some improvement... they need revamped, improved, redone, do-overs, revised, rethought, rewritten, and all that good stuff that comes in between it all.**

 **But that's for another time. ANYWAY, here's the _real_ author's note:**

 **The story so far;**

 **Michael, in all of his heroism, got himself shot in the right side of his gut with a pulse rifle, now making his movement falter quickly as the rest of the stairs were a struggle to him... but now a bigger problem awaits as they find themselves in the crosshairs of many a guard.**

 **Celestia, in the event of Michael being shot out from under him, took over the operation on his behalf as he needs all he can get to heal his wound as quickly as possible. They all reached the net checkpoint on the stairs, Celestia bursting through the door without reason as now the 3 humans who were tagging along were now shot quickly by the guards.**

 **Twilight, after making it to the first leg with the Assault Team and her friends, has explained the parts that they need to hike before they get to the bottom of the mountains in No Pony's Land. Once there, she explained how they need to quickly find a place to stay to shelter them from the wind and environment, along with the animals which lurk there.**

 **So that's it so far. Hope you like the next chapter, all.**

 **Oh and there will be a cookie for you all about what the nation that the humans founded long ago. Try to figure it out. Hint: it's a well known country. See if you can find out!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Are We There Yet?**

"Almost there! Just a little farther!" I yelled to him as we were now under fire from all sides, almost reaching the wall. At the very last moment, I leaped towards the wall and hit the ground quickly as Michael tried to do the same.

"Hng! No!" He said as he tried but failed, tripping quickly and hitting the ground in front of me as many different red dots began to cover him. I instinctively grabbed his hand which was extended out to me and pulled him with one hoof as the very moment after projectiles from all around destroyed the ground and left nothing in it's path.

"Dammit!" A voice said as another spoke up.

"No shot, no shot, I repeat, no shot. We've lost sight of them." They said as I sighed in relief as I looked and saw that we had a clear area ahead to the next set of cover which now was nothing but cubes of cargo or something that was unclear to me.

Michael got up slowly and gripped his side as he began limp-run over to the next set of cover. I grabbed his arm and turned him around.

"What are you doing?" I looked at him as I thought he was suicidal.

"Moving, that's what. 3 humans are dead and now way in hell am I joining them." He seethed as I frowned.

"Well I don't need you dead. Now we need to move toget-" I stopped as he nodded and shoved my hoof off and ran to cover spot number 2.

"Michael!" I yelled as he leaped and landed behind the boxes. I ran and did the same and looked at him angrily.

"If you do that again, I'll-"

"You'll what? You forget _I'm_ the human expert here. _I know_ how they operate. I'm a human, just like they are. And I'm still in charge of this operation. Hurt or not, I'm still able to do things. If I can walk, I'm fine." He told me as I squinted my eyes in anger.

"I don't believe you can do all the things you could before! And because of your recklessness, you became injured and now left me in charge! Now follow me!" I told him back as he rolled his eyes.

"Fine. But your not my commander. Nor are you my boss." He said as I waved him off and peeked above the boxes, the edges lined with red as I saw what looked like 6 or 7 humans coming after us.

*Chink chink chink* Went the sound of something round and small over the boxes.

"SHIT!" Michael screamed as he grabbed me and threw me and himself over the boxes and covered me with his body protectively.

*BOOOOM*

The boxes we were using as cover flew in all directions as he looked up and pulled his weapon out and began firing.

"Stay down!" He yelled at me as I held him close. He was the only thing from certain death... I knew if he died, I would soon follow after they found a way to kill me. I would most likely be interrogated and-

"C'mon!" He yelled as he got off me and grabbed my hoof, pulling me up. He was certainly strong, indeed. Ponies are nothing but muscles, really, and I must have weighed 250 to 290 pounds.

Not that I was fat, mind you. I was anything but, being the regal and fit princess I am...

"Where are we going?" I asked him as he looked back and grabbed one the weapons from the dead soldiers.

"I don't know. We'll find out, though." He said as he began to stuff little boxes of things into all his pockets, along with the small round objects that exploded into separate places as well.

"Alright. Let's move." He said as I shook my head and rolled my eyes.

"Did you already forget that _I'm_ in charge now? Y-"

"I DON'T CARE! I'M BUSTING MY ASS TO HELP YOU AND ALL I'M GETTING IS HOW I'M NOT IN CHARGE! THERE ARE HUNDREDS, MAYBE THOUSANDS OF THESE BASTARDS WAITING TO BLOW OUR BRAINS OUT, AND ALL YOU CAN SAY IS I'M NOT IN CHARGE? FINE THEN, YOUR IN CHARGE OF YOURSELF AND I'LL MAKE IT ALONE!" He screamed in my face as he slid on his chest armor and helmet

"You'll see how hard it is to be a human in a moment... you just wait." He seethed to me with rage.

"W-wait! Michael! Wait!"

"I'm not waiting anymore! You had your chance and all you could do was tell me to fuck off! Well, I'm fucking off now, princess, so try it on your OWN!" I screamed at her as I threw her a weapon and she caught it quickly.

I turned around and began walking quickly, observing the place as I looked through the reflex sight of the weapon.

"Wait! I'm telling you to wait a minute! I'm sorry for what I said, now will you please just stop?!" She yelled to me as I shook my head. I looked up and saw that the rails were unoccupied. I ran over in a moderately fast manner and grabbed onto the ladder which led up to the rails. I needed the extra stealth advantage.

"Wait!" She said as I reached the top, seeing her running over to the ladder. I shook my head and rolled up the ladder quickly by a button and looked at her.

"You'll see now what it's like to be a human. No one helps you, no one needs you, and everyone's out to get you. So suck it up, princess. Your on the one-way lane, now." I told her as she looked up to me in horror.

"Down here! I hear 'em!" A voice said as I ran towards the sound, reaching a door and bursting through as it was a pass through to the other side of the railing.

"Where do ya see 'em?" A voice asked me as I looked to the left and saw two humans sitting and reloading their weapons.

"Down there, you'll see." I told them as they nodded and got up quickly. Surprisingly, I made it to the other side but did not hear any fire... what was going on?

"Where'd they go?" A voice said as I ran down the balcony and to floor level. I looked around and realized on my HUD that a small blinking icon of a human who looked half invisible with a ring around it began to notify me of something. I looked on the hologram and pressed the icon, realizing that my body began to disappear.

It was a cloak... allowing me to disappear without being seen or noticed. I looked down to my lower-lefthand corner to see many different circles which were green, moving toward me.

Could this be a motion-sensor?

"Move move move!" They said as they came around the corner and ran past me... could they not have seen me?

"Sergeant Paul M. McAllister... hm." I said to myself as I deactivated the cloak when the ring began to blink red. I ran down the hallway and looked around, seeing nothing for the moment until I saw down below on my motion-sensor, 5 red diamonds which burst through the door to my left...

If on my motion-sensor my allies were yellow, but they were my enemies... then to my motion-sensor sensor, my enemies would actually be my allies?

I looked to the left to see the familiar 5 that I rescued. They looked at me quickly and pointed their guns to me.

"WAIT! DON'T SHOOT!" I yelled at them as I dropped my gun and held my hands up. They looked at each other and smirked again whilst pointing their guns.

"Please, we had plenty of those guys say that before, it won't work on us." The leader said as he cocked the hammer back on his sidearm.

"Wait! Can I take my helmet off first?" I asked them as they scoffed and rolled their eyes. I reached up slowly and took my helmet off my head and shook my head quickly to show them it was me.

"It's me! Michael!" I told them as they looked at me strangely.

"Really? Wh-where's the rest of you?" He asked me, lowering his weapon.

"The other humans died on a death run and... the Princess wouldn't work with me." I told them flat out.

"Whaddya mean?" He asked, clearly confused.

"She couldn't help but try to be the boss of the situation... I told her and argued with her until I realized that I couldn't take it anymore... so I left her to fend for herself." I told them as they shook their heads.

"Well I'm not a big fan of hers anyway, and if it's any consultation, she can make it on her own, can't she?" He asked as I shook my head.

"I... don't know. I feel really bad for leaving her... maybe... I shouldn't have... maybe..." I began to trail off.

"No man, it's too risky." Another male human said as I shook my head.

"Not for me it isn't." I told them, making up my mind.

"What are you going to do?"

"SAVE HER! GO ON AHEAD OF ME! WE'LL CATCH UP!" I yelled back at him as they shook their heads but then nodded and began to move.

I ran fast. Faster than I ever have before, even with a wounded side. I must have ran until I couldn't realizing that the gunfire I was supposed to hear, was nothing more than a voice.

"Well. So instead we found her. Just wow. What a waste of time."

"Yeh, woulda been so much more worth it if it was him." I heard as I knew they were talking about me. I peeked around the corner to see about 12 or 13 humans standing around an incapacitated Celestia.

"So where did he go? Eh? Where'd he go?" A human said as she looked up from laying on the ground.

"You'll... never... find... him... alive." She growled as I admired her fighting sense in her as I cloaked myself to get a closer look. I walked slowly up to the rest of them and uncloaked behind a person, out of the sight of Celestia as in my motion-sensor, I blended in perfectly in both sight and sound.

"Oh really? The fact that he's not dead surprises me. He's either God-awful lucky, or a chicken. I say he's the latter." He said as the other humans chuckled.

"Get her up. Were taking her to the Second." He said as I walked over with another human and picked her up by her shoulders. What she didn't know was that it was me helping her to escape... something I had to time perfectly.

"So then, _princess_ , how does it feel to not be in control?" He asked as she looked up angrily and gritted her teeth, but said not a word.

I held my rifle in my right hand as I looked through it and noted it was easy to fire in one hand... if I timed it right, I could get her out of their grasp.

"Wetherby, establish contact with the Second immediately." He told the soldier as we all stopped and he laid down what seemed like a small disk. A hologram popped up and there I saw Jacob.

"What is it?" He asked as I refrained from shooting everyone in sight.

"We've got the princess. Michael is still unaccounted for. Shall we keep searching?" He asked Jacob as he shook his head and sighed annoyingly.

"No, bring the princess here. Michael will pop up at some point..." He said as I then lashed out my attack. I let go of the princess and pulled out my sidearm. I shot the soldier to my left and then pulled the trigger of the rifle and shot continuously as I they all stumbled and turned around.

"C'MOOON!" I screamed as I grabbed the other rifle quickly and fired the other one as they all but fell to the ground.

"What in all of Equestria?!" Celestia said on the ground. I walked over to the CO, who was speaking into the hologram in front of Jacob.

"Well..." I started as I faced the soldier and not Jacob yet. The soldier looked up and gritted his teeth.

"Traitor..."

"No... enemy." I smirked as I reloaded my sidearm and pointed it to him and dissolved my visor.

"It was worth it. You found him. The _real_... Michael the Second." I told him as I shot him and his head exploded, his veins shooting blood out of his neck. I faced Jacob as he looked at me and smirked.

"Well well well, little brother. Still playing these silly games, are we?"

"At the end of the day... I still go to bed knowing that I've been graced by my forefather, Michael the First..."

"Oh f-"

" **I will _kill you._ " **I growled and shook angrily as he chuckled sinisterly. He opened his mouth to speak, but was rejected as I smashed the disk with my foot and ended communications.

I breathed calmly as I reloaded my weapons and turned around. Celestia looked at me in shock as I picked her up quickly.

"I'm sorry I left you alone. I'll never do it again." I told her sincerely and tenderly as she looked at me in the same and smiled weakly.

"No time for reminiscing. We have to go. Jacob probably sent troops over to our position."

"We have to make it to our other friends before they do or else they will most certainly fight a losing battle."

"Let's go."

… Going uphill on hikes is most certainly _not_ what I had planned a month and a half ago. But that all changed when Michael and Celestia were taken prisoner of the dreaded Dreamcrushers. The opposite clan of the Dreamriders.

The Dreamcrushers were clan that was above all clans... except the Dreamriders. The Dreamriders were the most elite and helpful clan that I've come to know through my books and such... the Dreamriders came about when humanity got off the ground and began itself as a nation...

... they named it after the legend which stated that there was a word which bounced around their minds as Michael the First declared it so. Acirema, it was named, was the most technologically sound and stable country that all of the known world has come to know...

… And definitely the most remembered one. The strategies and weapons that they unleashed upon the world terrified us all... but that was not what they were remembered for. These humans were remembered for their generosity to their allies, since being so advanced, their terms of energy was insurmountable compared to ours.

One unit of their energy could power a whole city for 3 days. And they had millions of them they didn't need. Even billions.

These humans were also remembered because their sincerity in the way they conducted their political acts. Each time they stumbled into a political situation, they conducted them in such a way that the involved countries could never walk away happier.

These humans were definitely the highest standard of a well and properly conducted country that the known world has ever seen... and though nopony would ever admit it... we all knew it. We all knew that humanity has set the bar for all of us in a way we never would've known...

"Twilight? I believe this is the top of the forest that we've come to travel." Rarity told me as I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at her and then at the scenery. The ground ahead was now laden with snow as not a few miles ahead of us, snow was falling gently.

"What? H-how did that happen so quickly?" I said aloud to myself.

"Well, at least it's over now." Fluttershy noted quietly.

"Oh it's far from over. From what we've studied the mountain and surrounding regions like the forest, we have quite a while to go." George said as we shrugged and looked down and sighed in defeat.

"Don't lose hope now, okay? We've made it about one third of the way, so yeh, we've made good time." Ellie reassured us.

"But it's about time to stop to camp somewhere." George noted as Ellie nodded slowly.

"Yeah... we need to find a place to camp now. It's been a long day. We've been here since 9:30 or so... it's now 5:22." She said as we all looked at her, shocked.

"It's been almost _**8**_ hours?!" Dash said in disbelief as her jaw dropped.

"Yes. We've made quite the trip." Ellie said again as we slowly acknowledged.

"Let's set 'em up, guys. Get 'em nice and tidy." She said as they nodded and found level ground to set up their tents. George though, had carried one of the largest.

He was a huge person for a human... compared to Michael, he was quite large... but not much larger. Michael, I know, since he worked on a farm when Trixie told me, he had to keep himself in shape for the job ahead.

Michael is certainly one interesting human. Started as a farm filly, or boy for this one, and was destined for all of humanity. Interesting indeed.

The humans quickly set their tents up, setting one up for their gear as we did the same. We had all carried small parts of the large, 6-pony tent. We also carried parts for a 2-pony tent for our gear and such.

It was going to be a long night, and we knew it. After our tents were set up away from the others, to give them privacy, some of the humans set out for some firewood. Others found some large logs so we could sit on them. And others found rocks to place around the fire to make sure it was contained.

"Well! That is quite the tent!" Applejack said as we all nodded and smiled. It was a great tent... We all chipped in to buy only the best ones just for times like these... but we never knew that we would use it on trips like these.

"Alrighty then, let's put our gear away before it starts to rain, now." Applejack told us as we did so, organizing our gear appropriately. After we did that, we all proceeded to sit around the freshly built fire and relax comfortably amongst the humans.

"So, me and Joe here have been wonderin', what's it like to live in a castle?" A human asked as they looked at us.

"Well... it's... big." Applejack said.

"It's... luxurious!" Rarity noted.

"Super cool!" Dash spoke proudly.

"Kinda... lonely." Fluttershy noted quietly

"And FUN!" Pinkie burst out.

"Well, yes... it's all of those things, but Fluttershy's right, it get's lonely. And when it's quiet, it seems all that much larger and sometimes if your not careful, you can get lost. Although it's nice to have other cater to your needs, it doesn't fit the properties of home like a house would... but with friends, it's always your home." I told them and smiled as I hugged my friends tightly.

"It wouldn't be the same without them." I said to them all as they nodded.

"Wow... pretty cool." A human said as they all nodded and murmured.

"So... what's it like to use magic?" Another asked as me and Rarity looked at each other.

"Well..." I started, a bit confused on how to say this correctly.

"It's very handy to have when you either have your hooves full, you can't grab what it is you need with your hooves, or sometimes to show others things quickly that you couldn't otherwise." She smiled and stated proudly as they all looked at her and chuckled a bit.

"What? W-was it something I said?" She asked, a bit confused.

"You sure gave us the whole piece, didn't you?" One said as Rarity chuckled lightly and blushed.

"Well... that's me!" She smiled and blushed a bit harder this time.

"Hhh... man. It must be nice to be able to do whatever you want." A human said aloud as we shrugged.

"Well, not _everything_ we want. But most things." Pinkie told them.

"Yeah... we can't do _anything_ without someone looking over our back. It's insane! Nothing can be done in private except publicly private things, like using the restroom or something like that. Jeez!" Another human stated.

"Well... just know that we don't abide or condone the Laws of Humanity either. So we share what you know... just not what you feel." I told them as they nodded. Then suddenly a human seemed to speak up in a way we've not heard from them before...

 **[Music – Rocketman – Artist: Elton John]**

" _..._ _She packed m'bags last night, pre-flight... zero hour... 9 A.M..."_ Another human sang in a sing-songy tune.

" _And I'm gonna be hi-iii-eee... as a kite by then."_ Another human joined in.

" _I miss the Earth so much, I miss my wife..."_ Others joined in.

" _It's lonely out in space..."_

" _On such a tii-iiimeless flight..."_

" _And I think a gonna be a long, long time... touchdown brings me 'round, I get too fine, I'm up all night to think I am at home, oh no no no..."_

" _I'm a Rocketman... (Rocketmaaannn...)"_

" _Burnin' out of fuels are very long..."_

" _And I think a gonna be a long, long time... touchdown brings me 'round, I get too fine, I'm up all night to think I am at home, oh no no no..."_

" _I'm a Rocketman... (Rocketmaaannn...)..."_

" _Burnin' out of fuels are very long..."_

" _Mars ain't the kind of place to raise ya kids... in fact, it's cold as hell..."_

" _And there's no one there to raise them... if ya did..."_

" _And all the science... I don't understand... it's just m'job... five days a week..."_

" _A Rocket-maaaaaannn... a Rocketman..."_

" _And I think a gonna be a long, long time... touchdown brings me 'round, I get too fine, I'm up all night to think I am at home, oh no no no..."_

" _I'm a Rocketman... (Rocketmaaannn...)"_

" _Burnin' out of fuels are very long..."_

" _And I think a gonna be a long, long time... touchdown brings me 'round, I get too fine, I'm up all night to think I am at home, oh no no no..."_

" _I'm a Rocketman... (Rocketmaaannn...)..."_

" _Burnin' out of fuels are very long..."_

" _And I think it's gonna be a long, long time..."_

" _And I think it's gonna be a long, long time..."_

" _And I think it's gonna be a **long** , long time..."_

" _And I think it's gonna be a long, long time..."_

" _And I think it's gonna be a long, long time..."_

" _And I think it's gonna be a long, long time..."_

" _And I think it's gonna be a long, long time..."_

…

… At the end of it... we were crying.

"That was... beautiful." I noted, shocked at the humans who were also arm-over-shoulder with each of them as they too, were crying just a bit...

"Simply exquisite." Rarity whispered.

"So... cool." Rainbow said.

"So... gentle." Fluttershy added.

"And meaningful..." Applejack nodded through a smile.

"And slow..." Pinkie said, for once, not bursting out.

"It's been a while since we've done that one, haven't we?" The lead human asked them quietly as they all nodded.

"Yep... it's always a tear-jerker..." Another stated.

"Why did you sing?" I asked them, wiping my tears away but only to have a bit more take it's place.

"It's inspirational..." Ellie said as we nodded.

"We did it for him... for Michael!" He said as the rest nodded.

"For Michael!" They echoed loudly as I envied their respect and zeal for the human who once sought destruction of the pony race but now flipped his opinions 180 degrees.

I looked at the girls through tears and hugged them all as well embraced each other hoof-in-hoof in the friendship we so dearly enjoyed together in our time of knowing just how much we had it lucky...

"It was one of his favorite songs..." Ellie told us as we nodded.

"From Earth." She finished as the rest of the girls looked confused but I looked up slowly in complete and utter shock.

"E-e-e-Ear-Earth?" I said, stuttering like a surprised school-filly.

"Yes... Michael's greatest hope and dream was to visit Earth someday... some way, some how, Michael the First had managed to create a portal to Earth and to visit it... what he didn't know is that his time during it, he managed to visit the time 1962. He stayed there until 1992 when he knew at this point his vacation was over... he returned with many different trinkets during the 30 years of being there."

"And wrote about it in his journal... our Michael read his journal at least 4 or 5 times already... I wonder what Earth is like myself." Ellie finished as we all sat silently in awe as we all knew of the legend of Earth. An old legend, yes, but one I'm sure that we could dig up in the books that I had.

"He returned with many different songs from the past... artists that we never heard of... many of them beings ones like Heart, AC/DC... Bryan Adams... The Beatles... Led Zeppelin... and the song you heard, from Elton John."

"All of these were considered popular songs from the 1960's to the 1990's... Michael the First, through his thoughts in his journal, quite enjoyed these songs and played them for his fellow friends and enjoyed yet another thing with them... Michael, _our_ Michael, used to talk about them every once in a while when he was younger... until he ran away... then we never heard from him again until years later, now different in almost every way."

"Did you know that Michael, when he was young at the age of 12, was not muscular at all? He wasn't fat, but more... dense. That's why he's so heavy for the size of him. George here weighs about 225 or so, and Michael weighs about 260. Heavy, right?" She told us and asked as I raised an eyebrow in interest.

"Heavy indeed." I nodded and acknowledged with an interested look. 260 pounds? Jeez... that's quite heavy. Ponies of our stature weigh about 180 pounds... I don't know Celestia's weight, as she is larger in size.

Not in _that_ kind of size, mind you... she's a larger pony and that means more muscle mass... I wonder if Michael could beat her in a hoof-wrestle? I know that she wrestled against Big Mac and beat him easily... Michael would most likely suffer the same fate.

Big Mac was a strong work-pony and Michael was... a human... maybe I should ask the girls.

"Girls? Remember when Celestia hoof-wrestled against Big Mac and won?" I asked them as the nodded.

"And beat him hooves down?" Applejack said, still obviously confused about the whole ordeal.

"Yes, I do recall that. She is quite strong, is she not?" Rarity stated and asked us as we all nodded.

"What do you think to a hoof-wrestle between Celestia and _Michael_? Huh? Eh? Pretty good?" I looked at them as shrugged and nodded.

"It's okay, I guess..." Applejack noted.

"I think it's a great idea! We can show off who's actually stronger! Humans or ponies!" Rainbow said, flying in a loop as the humans noticed but then resumed talking amongst themselves.

"Hm... well didn't Ellie mention something about Michael once working on a farm a while ago?" Fluttershy asked as I remembered after some thought on the matter.

"Y.. yes. He did work on a farm as an engineer for some time. I heard that being an engineer requires arm and hoof strength... though, in my opinion, Celestia would win. Big Mac has been working on that farm since he was a filly. I doubt Michael would beat him." I stated my opinion as they nodded. All but Rarity.

"Don't you think your not giving him the benefit of the doubt? Have you _seen_ the _muscles_ on him? He's he's a powerhouse just bursting with muscle!" She said as she described him in a way I've not seen him before.

"And just when have you seen him like this?"

"I just observe..." She smiled.

"Yeah, Rarity's right. I'm one of Equestria's top flying ponies, and one of the most respected athletes, and I know a strong athlete when I see one." Rainbow agreed and nodded.

"Hmm... you could be right..." I said, thinking.

"Well what if we did multiple competitions?" Applejack threw out a suggestion.

"I think that's a great idea." Ellie joined in, obviously hearing our conversation.

"Ya think so?" Applejack asked for a confirmation.

"Yeh. You could have arm-wrestling, running, and endurance. All things which require energy, arm strength, and leg strength to carry you farther in the race." She said as we nodded and Rarity clapped her hooves excitedly... something about Rarity and strong ponies, or in this case, _humans,_ didn't go well. I guess she liked 'em big and strong, who knows?

"Yeah, and we can see who's gonna be the winner!" Rainbow pumped her hoof excitedly.

"To be honest," Ellie started, looking at us all, "I think Michael will beat her in all three. He's got strong arms, which is the hardest part, which will come first, he only has to run with two legs, rather than using all his energy to propel four, and finally, he doesn't have quite as much to pull in every limb to maintain himself properly."

"The only time I predict he might be beaten is in the arm-wrestling. _That_ , is something that Celestia might win at."

"And why do ya say that Michael will win?" Applejack asked.

"Because Celestia spends her time in castle. Michael works out daily... I'm guessing you haven't seen him, have you?" She asked us as Rarity spoke up.

"I have!" She smiled.

"Without his clothes on? Or at least most of them off?" She asked as Rarity shrunk back.

"Well, no, but-"

"Doesn't count. But you'll all see why he's so popular with us ladies when we bring him back." She smirked as we all looked at each other.

"Wh-why is he so popular with the _ladies_?" Rarity asked, almost offended by the way her tone of voice was sounding.

"Well... he's not just good lookin' on the outside... if you know what I mean." She said as we all blushed hard and looked at each other in realization at what she was saying.

"Though he's never done it." She finished as we all looked back at her in wonder.

"Huh?" We all blurted out as she nodded and shrugged.

"Yeh... he's just either too busy, doesn't care for it at the time, hasn't found the _right_ one, or he's too cautious to waste it on someone who's not worth it..."

"Oh... so how do you keep in touch with him?" I asked as Ellie inhaled.

"He's used to see my friends on a regular basis. Every week or sometimes twice a week he'd bump into my friends and talk, just hangin' out, really... most of my friends are of the female gender, for those of you who didn't know." She said as we nodded and blushed lightly.

"But he was much to serious for that at the time when he was working... maybe that's why he's so popular... most say he's the spitten' image of his forefather, Michael the First, but... better. Lots better." She finished as we nodded and acknowledged silently.

"Did you know that he has this adorable little dimple on his left cheek? Right here?" She pointed to the right of her mouth about 1 and a half inches. Dimples were rare but popular in Equestria.

"Really? In Equestria, dimples are uncommon and fashionable!" Rarity noted and smiled.

"Really? For us humans it's the same. Dimples are the cutest thing, I swear..." She smiled and looked down in thought.

"But anyway, it's getting' late and we should head to bed for the night." She said as we nodded.

"Well, for those of you who stay up, it's quite time." She smirked as Pinkie bounced.

"Oh oh, I know!"

"Twilight's a bookworm and stays up all night, Dash can't stop exercising long enough to go to sleep until she's _real_ tired, Fluttershy is up tending to the animals, Applejack is up finishing her chores, Rarity is up finishing her dresses, and I LOVE to PARTAAAAAY!" She blurted aloud and smiled at paces we couldn't fathom as Ellie looked shock and surprised.

"Well. Alright. Seeya tomorrow?" She said as she kept her eye on Pinkie the whole way.

"G'night, mates!" She said as we looked at her strangely... did she just... call us her... mates?

"Ummm... w-were not married!" I said as she looked back.

"That's just a greeting. G'night!" She told us as we sighed in relief that she wasn't _totally_ crazy like Pinkie was... but we loved Pinkie for it. And we hoped she would never change.

We made our way to the tent where our sleeping bags were line up accordingly. We put the crazy ones, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, on the outsides of the tent to make sure they would be kept apart.

Then the second two, Fluttershy and Applejack, then me and Rarity next to each other. We snuggled into our sleeping bags and continued the conversation inside.

"Don't you think that Ellie was _maybe_ exaggerating a _little_ bit?" I said as they looked at me.

"It's how ya look at it, really." Rainbow said as we nodded.

"True, yes, but Michael is different from the norm of humans. He's... what you say... exquisitely rare?" Rarity said as we looked at her strangely.

"What?" She looked around embarrassingly and blushed.

"I don't know what _exquisitely rare_ means, but I think she's right. Michael is a _giant_ compared to the rest of the humans who are around him! He's awesomely cool in my books!" Rainbow stated.

"Yes, but princess Celestia is strong. She's got a strong will and stubborn attitude." I replied.

"Yer right. The princess don't take many things lightly." Applejack said as we nodded.

"Oh, well, then maybe it will be a tie?" Fluttershy stated something that we haven't thought of yet... _A tie,_ _huh?_ _..._ hm. That would fit the both of them, seeing as how they are overly competitive.

"Maybe we'll never get to see who wins the competition. But we will get to see who is better at what..." Fluttershy finished as we sat silently in thought. _If Celestia beat Michael, then what would that say for him? And vis_ _e_ _-versa?_

"That's the whole _point_ of a competition, Fluttershy, is to see who is better at what." Rainbow Dash explained as she blushed from embarrassment and chuckled nervously.

"Hm. I wonder how Princess Cadence is doing..." I said aloud to myself as Rarity perked up.

"That is a wonderful question... have you spoken with her in a while?" She asked me as I shook my head and looked down for a moment.

"No... she's had quite a lot to deal with in the recent months." I replied as they looked at me in wonder.

"Well go on, Twilight." Rarity said as I nodded and sighed.

"She's been divorced for about 5 and a half months now... Shining Armor, my brother, wasn't acting anything he was like when they met each other... and now since the divorce, certain humans have been rebelling in small coups against her and now the media won't give her any privacy... she's been trying to get the humans to stop, but neither harsh words, rash actions, or anything in between work at all to stop them..."

"I wish we had Michael to stop them..." I finished.

"What makes you think that Michael's gonna stop 'em? After all, he is planning to reign over humanity and destroy all of ponykind!" Rainbow spewed out as we all looked shocked and gawked at her statement... maybe... Michael...

… maybe...

"Maybe your right... maybe Michael won't stop them... maybe his whole plan isn't to help us at all..."

"Now what makes ya say that? Michael's done some things recently that ya can't take back, but he can't be that bad, now can he?" Applejack looked at me as I shrugged.

"I don't know anymore... what with all of humanity being so random, I just don't know anymore... it's all so confusing!" I whined as they looked down and nodded.

"Ah know it is, Twilight, but were gonna get through it, right girls?" Applejack assured me as they nodded.

"Yeah!" Rainbow and Pinkie burst out as I looked up to them.

"Absolutely." Fluttershy and Rarity reassured.

"No matter what." Applejack finished as I smiled and hugged them all tightly and sighed in contentment, seeing as how I had such great and irreplaceable friends... Through Nightmare Moon... Through Discord... Through Tirek...

… we've always come together as one.

"C'mon! They're right behind us!" I yelled as I grabbed Celestia's hoof and pulled her as I ran at full speed... well, almost full speed... Celestia wasn't able to run as fast as I could, not allowing me to run at full potential like I would've wanted...

… but if it meant she was able to run a little faster, than I was fine. I wanted us both out at all costs. Energy bullets flew overhead as we followed around a corner to catch our breath. I reloaded the rifle I had and placed it the new energy packet located in the back area where the butt was.

The gun itself reminded me of my forefather's previous FN-Scar that he had from Earth... maybe Jacob was too lazy and sent for an upgrade of one. Making it all sci-fi was great, but I missed the old feel of _real_ bullets...

"They're almost here!" Celestia warned as I nodded and slammed the energy packet it quickly and readied myself. I peeked around the corner and looked at them as I readied my gun quickly and pulled the trigger once I looked through the red-dot reflex sight and began to shoot when I saw their heads properly lined up. Soon, one after another in quick fashion, they dropped as the last two got smart and began to fire back.

"Damn! That was too close!" I yelled as I popped behind the corner after a bullet whizzed past my left ear and grazed it, making the ear bleed from sharp force trauma. I pulled out a modern pulse grenade, from what I heard they say, and threw it back towards them as it exploded with a shock of energy, not of demolitions. I peeked around the corner and shot both their heads quickly as I then ran out of ammunition in my magazine and reloaded.

I walked over and collected my full amount of their ammunition quickly and walked back, weary of my surroundings cautiously. I motioned for Celestia to follow me quickly as soon as I was past her. We walked around the halls, hugged every wall as we soon made it upon a battle scene.

"I'm out! I need a clip!" I heard as I peeked around the corner to see 5 humans pinned down in a firefight, one bleeding badly as he laid on the ground in pain.

I set my gun to fully automatic as I pulled the other one from my back and switched it to fully automatic as well, peeking around the corner again as I looked at the enemy targets. As if the sound of a 12-gauge shotgun pumping, that very sound was played when I pointed my guns at the enemies. I don't think they saw me.

*BTHTHTHTHTHTHTHTHTHTHTHT* Went the sound of my machine rifles going at the same time as I ran with Celestia to them quickly. We dove down with the humans and looked at him who was reloading.

"Damn! Too many of them! Your just in time, Michael, I need some help!" He said as I nodded.

"Let's do it." I smirked once my guns were reloaded and looked him in the eye wit confidence. I popped my guns around the corner and pulled the triggers on both of the weapons and heard a few sounds of projectiles hitting their targets as I heard some men go down.

"Got any grenades?" He asked me as I looked down and pointed with my nose.

"One more. Left center pouch. It's a pulse grenade, stuns on target! Use it wisely!" I told him as he nodded and activated it through the button which flashed red and blinked once per moment.

*Beep. Beep. Beep beep beep beepbeepbeepbeep WHOOSH*

"Let's go!" I told him as we ran into the middle of the hallway and shot the enemies quickly with our weapons on fully automatic setting as they all dropped quickly, hitting the ground.

"Reload!" He said as we nodded and I looked over to see Celestia looking over the wounded human.

"He's hurt quite bad, he's need attention soon or he'll die of blood loss!" She said in a critical tone.

"No... I got... a better... idea." He smirked as he opened his jacket to see 15 or more explosive grenades strapped to a time which said 2:12 on the time and was counting down the seconds.

"Watch them come for me and boooom, they'll be gone!" He said in an insane tone and laughed at the end.

"No! dammit, Lusso!" The human leader said and stomped his foot on the ground in anger as I shook my head.

"It's no use. He's got it locked." I replied as the friendly bomber looked at me.

"Don't... worry... it... was all... worth it." He smiled and gripped my shoulder as he looked towards the sound of guards coming quickly from behind us.

"Go! I'll get 'em." He said as we nodded but the human leader refused.

"No man! Just no! I can't!" He said as I grabbed his arm and pulled him.

"C'mon! Let's go!" I said through clenched teeth.

"No! Get off me!" He said as I growled angrily.

I grabbed his mid-section and picked him up as he immediately began to squirm to get out of my tight grasp. I was strong and I knew it... but my wound was inflamed like you wouldn't believe and now was pulsing in pain as he squirmed some more.

We made it down the hallways but stopped when we heard voices down the hall.

"Who's with 'em!?" A voice said as a laughter stopped the humans.

"You idiots." He laughed crazily.

 ***BOOOM***

"NOOO!" The human leader screamed as I put him down and he began to run back but was stopped by me and my grasp again.

"DON'T! He's gone anyway, and we can't risk ourselves for your emotions!" I looked at him as he looked back at me, as last we were alone for a moment from enemies.

"You don't know! You don't know what it's like to lose someone you love! He was my brother!" He yelled in my face as I clenched my fists and teeth.

"DON'T GIVE ME THAT! I SAW MY PARENTS MURDERED IN FRONT OF MY VERY EYES FROM ONE I KNEW AS MY BROTHER! HE DIED LONG AGO AND MY GRANDMOTHER WAS THE TARGET OF A SUICIDE BOMBING FROM THE DREAMCRUSHERS!"

"DON'T TELL ME WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND!" I screamed in his face as he shrunk back into a quivering mess and fell to the ground, making me a quivering mess as well as my tears fell from my face and onto the floor.

"Michael?" Celestia addressed me as I waved it off.

"Don't... I'm fine... let's go." I looked at her as I then returned my gaze on the human leader.

"Get up. Or were leaving you here." I told him coldly as he looked at me and stuttered.

"Oh what's the use... I'm dead anyway..." He said as I picked him up by his shirt and held him up to eye level, which was off the ground.

"Your not dead until your dead! Now move it or lose it!" I told him as he nodded and pieced himself together slowly. He looked for his rifle and realized it was not there.

"You left it back there. Take my sidearm and my ammo, but don't waste it like you did last time. Just because your a scout doesn't mean you need to shoot like some goddamn chicken. You went through training! You know how to shoot!" I commanded him as he nodded and stopped shaking for the most part.

 _Jeez...some people can't do anything right without instructions... stupid..._

"C'mon." I told them all while walking as Celestia looked at me with a look of sincerity... like she was probing me.

"Y... your mother and father... t... they d-"

"I don't want to talk about it... it's been 11 years since I've seen them and I don't want to anymore..." I told her as she sighed in sadness and I believe pity as well as her expression also saddened.

"How did they d-"

"I said I don't want to talk about it!" I yelled back as she retracted and nodded slowly, now getting the point of me not wanting to address the subject anymore...

 _I didn't want to then... I don't want to now... and if you ask me 5 minutes from now, I'm still gonna tell you, I don't want to talk about it..._

"Why did they-"

"I fuckin' hate you." I said in annoyance as she shrugged in defeat. I just hate it when she or anyone does stuff like that... but... it's nice to know someone cares for me, even after all of this shit that's happening...

"Ugh... we need to find someplace to stop and rest... this is getting unbearable." I said as I looked around. Luckily we stumbled upon a large room which was lined on one wall with doors which were labeled in numerical order.

"Storage rooms... oh hell yes." I said as they looked at me strangely.

"What is so important?" Celestia asked as I looked at her in disbelief.

"In there is food, water, blankets, supplies, ammo, armor, everything! We could survive in there if we wanted to!" I told her as she looked at the door and opened it slowly, filing in as we looked around.

Crates of metal everywhere... we began to open them to see what was in them in the first place.

"Hey, this one has canned food!" She said as I nodded and opened mine. Ammo like you wouldn't believe. Just ammo, ammo, and more ammo.

"I got ammo!" I told them as they nodded. And we went on and one until we found enough stuff to last us a whole year. We closed up the ones we didn't need and kept the ones we did need open.

"One of you stay watch for the night to start and then take turns throughout the night." I told them as they proceeded to set up.

They set up some blankets as sleeping pads as I did the same for Celestia...

"Goddamn blood." I growled as I shoved the armor off and replaced my boxer shorts... then, when when I was alone... well, almost alone. Our setup was a little more private...

"Why do you persist to remove your clothing?" Celestia asked me as I blushed from embarrassment. _Good thing I got a fresh pair of underwear... wait a minute... did she watch me change? Nope. I don't want to know._

"Because of the stupid blood... we didn't find any first aid kits on there and now I am screwed with my pants on." I told her as she looked at me strangely.

"You don't have any pants-"

"It's a figure of speech." I told her as I began to shiver from the cold air, my breath illuminating again... _Wait... if she asked about the fact that I didn't have any pants on... then she must've known what being screwed meant... nuhuh. Not going there today or maybe ever._

"Oh shoot... dammit!" I whined as she looked at me strangely.

"What is wrong?" She looked at me inquisitively as she curled around my body to look and see, her tail and soft fur brushing up against my skin almost protectively.

"I'm... I'm cold." I said like a small child, blushing from embarrassment as she smiled. She sat down on her side of the bed and laid on her side as I was still facing away from her, my arms crossed.

"Michael? Do you wish... not to be cold?" She asked me as I looked back and blushed hard as I returned to my stance.

"N-no! I-I'm fine!" I told her, then stiffing up in anger, knowing I shouldn't have said something like that to her... it was going to bite me in the rear at some point.

… I looked back again to see her in the same position, almost, positioning her body in a nurturing way as I longed for the comfort after the long and grueling day... _It... it can't be..._ _that_ _bad, can it?_

I walked over and sat down for a moment close to her as she went into her mode and extended her wings around my large frame as she first let me down gently and then gently pulled me close to her as I sighed in contentment... it was so nice to have her to help me, even if she was a little annoying...

"Goodnight..." She whispered as my eyes became heavy and I closed them slowly...

 **End of Chapter 6**

 **Ooohoohoooooooo!**

 **Michael get's to sleep with a prin-cess! Little Mikey won't be happy when he gets caught!**

… **WAIT! SPOILER! NO NO NO NO NO NO NONONONONONO! I'M SORRY! I'M SO SO SORRY! FORGIIIIVE MEEEEEEEE!**

…

 **Well, thank you for reading the 6th chapter, folks and leave a review to comment on the story! Follow for a feed of the story and favorite if you liked it, and as always, I will see you next time! (I hope)**

 **'Til then, mates!**


	7. The Great Escape pt 2

**Hello again my special viewers, to another installment of The Last Dreamrider.**

 **The story so far;**

 **Michael, after giving Celestia a taste of humanity's look on problems, answers, and puzzles, realizes that Michael is on her side and is willing to do anything to help her. After he fights against improved soldiers of the Dreamcrushers, he finds, with the help of his friends, a store room where it contains food, water, ammunition, weapons, and just about the essentials of living...**

 **Celestia, helping Michael with the fights and the findings of the storehouse, realizes after her own problems that not all is lost and not all is her own. She now realizes that Michael is somewhat of her hero, as she would have not gotten out without his help. But she easily repays the favor with the return of a warm embrace from a friend to keep him sane and alive...**

 **Twilight, after making the first leg and setting up camp for the first night, was treated to the best of the best talents of singing from the humans, a sort of their own Broadway show for them as they sang one of Michael's favorites from Earth, Elton John's "Rocketman" that his forefather retrieved from Earth... After that, she and her friends, along with Ellie, entered a lively discussion about Michael and his abilities as a human... wondering if he was all he was chalked up to be...**

 **So that's it for the story so far...**

 **But I wonder...**

… **will he always be the Last Dreamrider? Will the lineage of the Dreamriders end there with Michael the Second? Will he be alone for the remainder of his life?...**

… **No... it won't. Not ever. Never will Michael die alone, still carrying the title of the Last Dreamrider...**

 **Now read on, I don't want to keep you.**

 **Enjoy...**

 **Are We Just Getting Started?**

…

"... W... wh... whrrrmmrr..." I mumbled, unaware of myself speaking gibberish.

…

"... soft..." I mumbled another word, wondering subconsciously if I was making any sense whatsoever to any an' all who might have been around me.

…

"... warm..." I uttered another.

…

"... mmmm..." I moaned in contentment as I embraced tightly the object of soft and comfortable warmth that my entire being was wrapped around and that my head was burrowed in... _I don't... I don't remember... I..._

…

… _w-what?_

I realized now that I was somewhat awake, I opened my eye slightly to see naught but white for the remainder that my body was frozen in shock. I was hugging something... wasn't I?

… But the question remained. What was I hugging? Was I-

… _Wait a minute..._

I began to move subtly for a moment until I realized that whatever I had wrapped my arms, and I suspect most of my body around, was either draped over me or was hugging me back. After reviewing in my mind the events which took place only hours before, I began to draw a conclusion.

Then the conclusion which I drew up in my mind was only reinforced by nothing less than itself once I felt whatever it was I was hugging was alive... fortunately. Then something seemed to pull me closer and tighter to the soft and warm embrace.

The embrace of Princess Celestia. Something strange about it that I couldn't quite wrap my-

… _WHAAAAT?!_

"AYYIIEEE!" I jerked up using my body strength and out of her grasp as my body instinctively stood up but then stumbled backwards as the back of my head slammed into the side of the crates, giving me a massive sore pain in my head.

"Ow ow ow ow ow..." I said to myself as she instinctively looked up frantically like a mother would if her infant stealthily escaped her grasp in the night.

"Michael! You did this once, you must learn and become used to waking to my grasp during mornings when you remove your clothing of your own choice!" She pleaded with me as I stumbled to my hands and knees and shivered again. _So... not warm._

"Cold." I said as my breath was illuminated quickly like a thick fog, as I knew the temperature was lower than normal.

"Tsk. You poor thing." She spoke in caring tones of motherly intention as he wings unfolded and wrapped around me again to only pull me closer to her.

"Ah! Ow! Be careful!" I said weakly as the adrenaline which wore off left me with sore and swollen bruises and muscles alike. Every pinprick felt like a knife stab.

"Oh Michael, you mustn't fight back all the time... you must learn to embrace such things as they are only trying to help you..." She told me quietly in my ear as I shivered in coldness again while hugging her in desperation. It was too damn bad of a time to get a cold...

… and...

… I liked the fuzzies...

"Okayokayokay... but... I'm... cold." I told her as she smiled and pulled me towards her barrel. It was... so nice to awaken to something so warm and inviting... but something inside of me wasn't liking that I was doing it...

… maybe it was inner Michael telling me it was wrong?

Wrong or not, it felt too damn good and if my conscience is not happy well then he can take a hike. I liked being here and that was final. I _loved it._

 _Every single moment. I_ _ **LOVED**_ _it_ _ **.**_

"Michael? Is something wrong? Is it me?" She asked me as I looked up from her barrel, and from my position, she was only able to see my eye and partially my nose.

"No. Nothing." I mumbled, and quickly dove my head back into her fur. Even though she was only a friend, and that was a stretch, I loved the motherly feel she had to her. It was as if she _was_ my mother... but, oh well, too bad.

"Oh... I was beginning to think it was me." She said as she rested her head back down in thought. _Ugh. Why can't my life be like a normal life... why do I have to go through a roller coaster just to complete a simple task? It was like when they named me Michael, they knew I would have a hella hard time to do_ _ **anything.**_

… It was about a few minutes later when I heard shuffling around the other encampment that I realized we should be getting up and eating something.

Even if it was little shapes of matter meant to replace a steak or something alike that. But I knew it would never replace a good and home-cooked meal.

"Celestia... we should be getting up now..." I spoke through fur while mumbling the whole way.

"Hmm... your right... we should." She said while shifting subtly to slowly awaken her body.

"Yes?" She addressed another as I wondered if she was speaking to me.

"What?" I looked up at her to see her eying another human in wonder as I was now giving a look of horror.

"I uhhh..." I began to speak as I got up quickly from her grasp and was now on one knee.

"Okay it's not what it looks like." I told him as he, I was assured, was a leader of many, considering the way his old uniform was decorated.

"Traitor." He said while pulling out his sidearm, the 4-shot energy Hand-cannon that I wielded earlier, and pointed it in my direction.

"Woah woah woah, hold it right there." I told him as he stood with clenched teeth and an angered expression adorn on his face as I then got up slowly, holding my hands up in compliance.

"No you hold it right there." He told me coldly while gripping the gun a little harder.

"I see now what your intentions are. You don't care about humanity, do you?" He looked at me as I cocked my head in wonder as my blood began to rise in heat.

"Do I? Do you doubt me? Do you wish to insult me and my bloodline with such a question?" I looked at him as he scoffed.

"Yes I do. You let a poor man die alone with a bomb strapped to him and then let 3 of your own get killed in a firefight. Trust me, I know." He said as he pulled the hammer on the gun back slowly.

"But I was shot. Shot right here in the gut, so I would be dead had it not been for her." I pointed to Celestia as another human, the lead scout, observed the situation.

"Woah, what are you _DOING?_ " The scout asked as the commander looked back for a moment.

"This man... is a traitor. A traitor to the Plan." He said and explained as I realized what he was speaking of.

"What plan?" I asked, wanting to know if my assumptions held their ground or not.

"The Plan of Order, set by Michael the First. Your no Dreamrider." He seethed as my blood now boiled angrily.

I can take just about everything they can throw at me, but when the start to slander the name of Dreams, they have messed with the worst. When you mess with me, you mess with the family.

And that's a promise.

" ** _I'm_ no Dreamrider? You think _I_ am the traitor?" **I growled at him with a voice as cool as ice as my eye flashed fire red along with my blood and body. I looked as if I was the embodiment of fire and lava itself, as my body and muscle grew to 300% its original size, now weighing almost 900 pounds, and my body stood 7 feet tall.

" **You, my friend, are sorely mistaken."** I smirked at him as I began to walked towards him slowly. He now shook with fear as I shot a fireball at the gun and it melted quickly, making him hiss while he gripped his hand firmly to stop the pain.

"M... M-Michael?" Celestia looked at me as I ignored her for the moment.

"Who the hell are you?!" The commander asked in fear as I smirked and cornered him into a wall of crates.

" **My name... is no longer important, you won't remember it anyway... I hereby declare that the court and it's contestants deem you the perpetrator of the crime of assault against the Second... you have been found guilty and will be deemed with capital punishment..."** I told him as if I was Michael the First himself, as a fire shot from my hand into his mouth and burned his body from the inside out, his screams sounding like music to my ears as his body flashed red as lava and then melted quickly as he was now a plume of smoke...

My body returned to normal size and look as I stood over his body in annoyance. I tolerate nothing when it comes to my family. He took it many steps too far.

"... Michael?" Celestia called me as I turned around casually to look at her, a look of horror on her face as she saw the true potential of my power... though even I did not know what I was capable of yet... I was born with this... I only knew how to control it. _Strange... the scout is gone?_

I looked down in shame as I regretted my decision to kill him... but it had to be done. I knew of the plans he had in store... I had to stop them.

"I... I'm sorry... that you had to see that." I told her as I walked past her to get food for myself before heading out.

"Michael." A friendly and caring voice addressed me as a wing grabbed me and pulled me back and around as I was met face to face with Celestia.

"You need not apologize for what you had to do... I have been face with hard decisions before... like my sister... but those are over now. I need not be sorry for them... neither do you." She told me as I nodded and shrugged in acknowledgment.

"Okay... just don't hate me for it, okay?" I looked at her again as she smiled and chuckled lightly.

"Oh heavens no, I won't hate you..." She rolled her eyes and smirked.

"Shall we get something to eat?" I told her as she nodded and found the marked containers with food in them. Whole buffets of food, in fact. But time was running short...

We only had a little while left until they find us...

…

I was awakened to the sight of light shining through the tent we sleep in... which immediately brought me to assumption that the sun was up...

But Celestia wasn't anywhere near able to raise the sun... _Luna?_

I sat up quickly, moving myself out of my sleeping bag as the rest of us began to slowly stir to life.

I looked around and then quickly unzipped the tent, looking outside for any sign of Princess Luna.

I leaped out of the tent silently as I saw Luna awake and sitting under a tree as she looked out across the land.

"Luna?" I walked up to her as she looked towards me and smiled.

"Good morning..." She said as I nodded and smiled back while making my way over to her, even though I was a messy sight.

"Luna, did you sleep out here?" I asked her as she smiled and nodded.

"Yes... but it was quite enjoyable... not was I cold a bit, but... I miss having my sister around..." She said with a tear falling down her face.

"We don't even know if they are still alive... I know that my sister lives as we speak, but Michael... he is not immortal as we are, and I cannot feel his magic... but I still wonder what is it he possesses... is it a type of magic unknown to our world? Or is it something completely different to what we call Magical Energy?"

"I do not know..." She finished as she posed some very good questions just now... Michael was completely different in his magic wave patterns... if even it was magic... Surviving the mortal wound could not have been just that, and the lava-colored glow must have something to do with it.

"Perhaps we're not looking in the right place." I replied as she considered the notion for a moment. As she thought, I heard the rest of the girls awaken from the long slumber, along with the humans who were already up, but not out of their tents... we were all tired.

"You could be right... if only I could trace his energy signature... I could come and locate him in the form of a dream... only then would I know if he was okay or not."

"Can't you find your sister in the form of a dream?" I asked her, wondering why she hasn't.

"Her magic is sending a weak signal. I can barely read it, but it's enough to know she's alive... Michael's... is like a deafening roar, compared to hers... but I don't know what it is and have never felt something like his before, so even when I tried to locate him, his signal was sending out other fake signals as well... almost like a protection system."

"Really?" I wondered again.

"Yes... when I would lock onto a fake signature, it would take me nowhere... I still have not found the correct signal."

"Well, how hard can it be? I mean, it's not like there's _that_ many signals out there, right?" I asked, as Luna looked at me gravely.

"Try thousands. Tens of thousands... something only a magic user the size of Discord would be able to do... to be honest... this human scares me." She told me as my jaw dropped at the comparison to the power of Discord.

"He scares you?"

"Yes... his magic output is so innumerable that I can't get an accurate reading... his magic rivals Discord's at full power, and even then a little more..." She told me as my jaw dropped again.

"B-but Discord is a god!" I exclaimed in shock.

"Yes... and seeing his magic output, so is Michael... but I doubt he knows it. Humans, though are not born with a magic ability, but they have the potential of a present-day Alicorn... maybe even higher. Michael, somehow, did not need to be trained to use and store magic... it's almost like he was born with it." She finished as I manually shoved my jaw back to normal state and shook my head quickly.

"Whatcha talkin' about?" Rainbow entered the conversation with the rest of the girls as they slowly walked over in a sleepy state.

"Luna was just explaining to me about Michael's magic output... how did you say it?" I told them and then asked Luna again.

"Comparable to Discord's magic at full intensity." She said as they awoke quickly and shook their heads.

"Woah woah woah, back it up, _what?!_ "

"Yes... his magic output is strong. Strong as us combined..." She finished as Applejack walked forwards.

"So yer sayin' that he's like Discord, 'cept without the evil?"

"Yes... the equivalent of Discord's power... inside of a human... it's almost frightful to think about." Luna finally finished as they sat down and thought about the matter silently.

"But he is not mortal like we Alicorns are." She spoke up again as they looked back up in wonder.

"He still lives as a mortal being... but it's as if every moment he lives as it was his last... something we immortal beings can never feel... because we cannot die by conventional means, and most everything is conventional, then we cannot feel what he and the fellow humans feel."

"Damn straight." A voice said behind us as a couple humans, including Ellie, walked over. George's voice filled the air at that moment.

"It's not like we can just get it over with. Nothing can ever be _'over with'_ , with us humans. That is why we are born mortal as all humans are... something that invincible beings like you can't seem to grasp, no offense." George spoke up.

"None taken..." Luna replied.

"He's right, y'know. What good is valor if you can't die like your friends? What good is taking a bullet if your friends can't die?" Ellie explained as we nodded in acknowledgment.

"She's right, darling, valor and honor will only go so far. You must sacrifice something for you to gain a reputation in that area. Courage is bravery with sacrifice." Rarity helped explain. I rubbed my chin in wonder at the statement.

"What are you guys talkin' about?" A few drowsy humans walked up to us.

"Oh nothing... just waking up, that's all." Ellie said to the others, obviously not needing them to hear everything we say and speak.

"Why aren't the rest of 'em up? They been up all night?" Ellie asked, obviously a bit impatient for them to wake up. They did make it up here with all the gear, so... they need their rest.

"Yeah... they wouldn't sleep when they were supposed to like I told them to... so they stayed up a good portion of the night over something about Michael... damned if I know." George spoke up and shrugged.

"Oh please... Get those babies up before I get 'em up myself!" She barked orders as George nodded and turned around and walked back to the tents to wake the rest of the humans up.

"Why are ya so hard on 'em, sugarcube?" Applejack asked as Ellie looked back at her.

"Me?"

Applejack nodded.

"It's because they volunteered for this, and I expect them to follow whatever I do say. I expect them to follow what they signed up for. The excuse: 'I didn't sign up for this!', don't exist. Not in this little group we got 'ere. Whatever kinda shit happens on this trip stays on this trip. Whatever shit happens on this trip also, is what ya signed up on."

…

"Oh... I didn't see it quite like that." I stated as Ellie looked at me.

"Your welcome, then." She smiled as the rest of the us looked at her in confusion.

"For what?" Rainbow asked as Ellie shook her head and waved us off before turning around to the other sluggish humans, still wiping the sleep from their eyes as they shuffled along.

"What is this? What do you think your doing? Huh?"

"We're s-"

"Don't gimme that bullshit! It was your responsibility to get the proper amount of sleep last night before this next leg. Think you slip some sleep by me? Try again. I've been up for 2 hours. What about you? Need your _'beauty'_ sleep?" She chewed them out harshly as I looked at Luna who had her eyes closed, but hooves extended as she held onto something spherical. The object of interest was a white, translucent object which held a white orb inside of it gently.

I walked over, alerting the girls of what was going on.

"Luna?"

… No response.

"Luna, are you well?"

… Again, no response... what was going on here?

"Um, princess, is something wrong?" Fluttershy quipped in a whisper.

Her eyes fluttered slightly before she opened them slowly.

"T... Twilight..." She looked at me and smiled as her eyes focused on the floating white orb in her hooves.

"What is it?" Rainbow asked, being how she always is.

"This..."

"... is Michael." She smiled as Ellie looked back and walked towards us.

"So what's goin' on here? They told me freaky shit was happenin' so I came to take a look." Ellie said proudly, being a natural leader she is.

"Ellie... I've come to report something invaluable." Luna said while bursting with happiness.

"Well don't just stand there. Tell us the good news!" She said as Luna gulped.

"I hold here... a signal from the body of one we hold dear..."

"This... is Michael." She said as Ellie looked at her again, as if she were confused.

…

"Are you messin' with me?" She looked as I double-taked on Ellie and on the white orb.

"No she's not, Ellie... that's Michael's magic signature. It holds the information on his vitals, current location, those close to him in a 10 meter radius, and his emotions. Not to mention how his magic is feeling and operating." I explained as Ellie walked up to the orb and studied it with intent and emotion.

"M... Michael is... this thing?" She pointed as Luna nodded and smiled.

"Yes... I took the liberty to sort out through and luckily I found him... not just another bad signature..."

"H-how do we get there?!" She panicked as Luna calmed her down.

"We can't... this shows that right now he's in some kind of artificial structure... built solely by heavy metals such as titanium, steel, and iron..."

"W-Where is the base!?" Ellie asked in fear.

"It is somewhere located in the mountain ranges of No Pony's Land... somewhere near Devil's Horn." She replied as our eyes shot wide.

"DEVIL'S HORN?!" We echoed loudly in fear as we all had a look of horror adorn on our faces.

"Yes... though Devil's Horn is not that far in to No Pony's Land, it is extremely dangerous to travel the road to it."

"Fine fine, how is Michael?" Ellie asked quickly in desperation.

"Hmm... his vital signs show that his heart rate is in the norm... his mental frame of mind is angered slightly, and he has sustained... a... wound, in his left side, above his hips." Luna said as Ellie made a fist.

"I bet it was from those bastards." She growled and seethed in steely resolve as he teeth and jaw tightened in a very angry manner.

"And... I... I don't believe my eyes..."

"... My sister is right there with him."

"Why do you persist to ignore me?"

"I'm not ignoring you."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No!"

"Yes!"

"FINE! Now I am!" He finished the argument with an admission of defeat. But that earned him silence and lots of it.

"It's just that... I find it hard to believe you'd be willing to help a monster like me..." He admitted harshly.

"Monster? No-"

"Yes... I've just killed one of my own and many other Royal Guards out of reasons that are justifiable but all my life I've been repaid with nothing but regret and punishment as the others around me shamed me for my actions!" He replied in despair as I found nothing at the moment to help him with... if...

 _Why do you have to destroy yourself so hard like this?_

"Michael-"

"No! Enough! I am done talking about it!" He said and turned away through tears and broken words as I could see his heart sink into the floor quickly like a rock.

"Michael? What do you mean, 'all your life'?" I asked him as he shook his head and remained silent. _What could-no,_ _what_ _memory_ _could have cause him to break down mentally and emotionally so quickly?... could it be... no... it can't be._

"He was _always_ like that! Beating the living shit until not a one could ever take more! EVERY SINGLE NIGHT, THAT BASTARD WAS LIKE THAT! HE DESTROYED ME!" Michael screamed in agony as I could tell a memory was haunting him as of now, obviously from earlier times.

"Who was beating you? Who?" I pried as Michael stopped crying suddenly and swallowed hard, a few times, in fact, and stopped the flow of tears as I admired his discipline.

"I'm... sorry... you... had to see all of that." He told me in sincere tones.

"That's the second time you've told me that." I smiled shyly to him as he opened his eye and looked at me.

"But it will be okay now-"

"Oh don't tell me that. It's not like you've ever had a father like him... I loved my forefather, Michael, more than I ever could my own... your parents were the fucking rulers who taught you everything they knew before they passed the baton to you... don't you _ever_ tell me it's going to be okay. Before I knew you, you were a backstabbing little princess who liked to torture people like me... and your sister was a spineless mare who could never keep a clear head without raging over something... that's why you banished her, isn't it? You had nothing else to choose."

"So you banished her in an act of helping her... well, you may have thought that at one point..." He finished as I clenched my jaw tightly.

"Don't tell me how to run my life and don't you dare tell me what happened with my sister at that moment." I told him.

"Really. Your telling me?"

"Yes I am. I am telling you. I have been through so much more than you have. You think that-"

"Don't you fucking go there. You lost your sister. Big whoop. You got her back... I lost my brothers and sisters... I had the shit beaten out of me by my father every time I saw him. My mother was a condescending bitch who couldn't keep her morals straight. I watched my family dissolve and ultimately I had to watch my mother and father die in front of my very eyes. My friends died at my brothers hand from his left-wing little gooks known as the Dreamcrushers... don't you ever fucking tell me that you had it so rough that it outshines my transgressions."

"I've been through so much... I can hardly describe the surface of my sorrows for the Dreamriders as they know that their dream, the dream that I was supposed to carry to the top, might never happen... you've always had the comforts of home... you had someone slaving over you every second of the day. You never had to work for _anything_. It was granted to you by your parents who obviously didn't know you were too immature to handle such... it disgusts me that you think that you've had it so hard... I can respect having to destroy your sister by sending her there to the moon, but who's choice was that?"

"Yours. You made that decision... not a one could've ever made it for you... I lost my family one by one, including my friends who stuck closer than glue to me, and you know what? I couldn't do anything about it... I can still see the looks on their faces as my brother laughed in sinister manners as they were tortured to death... Alexander was killed by slow dismemberment... his intestines were carved out and jaw ripped off from his head as his ankles were twisted until skin was broken and the muscle tore off... and he looked at me and cried just before his eyes were ready to be carved out... he reached out stealthily and handed me the necklace of Dreams and shed his final tear..."

"Stephanie was raped viciously before she was burned at the stake for being a Dreamrider... her flesh, dripping off the wood as she screamed violently and squirmed to stop the pain... they shot her with a drug which kept her awake for the entirety of the pain, so she didn't pass out... and all the while, my brother watched and smirked as his eyes reflected the flames so sinisterly... and he looked at me as I was only 14 years of age... though I worked on farm miles and miles away, he found me... and he took me whenever I was alone to witness the death of my family... he looked at me, and said: 'I was hoping I could kill you... but I'll let you go insane... little Mikey...'... and he laughed... but his dream was never carried out... I am the Michael that he never was... I am a Dreamcrusher as much as I am a Dreamrider... I can give a thousand blessings upon a dream and watch it grow... or I can destroy it and leave nothing but the stuff of nightmares for it to feed upon the mind of it's host..."

"... They knew what they had in store for me when they named me Michael... Phillip, my grandfather, told me that life would never be easy, and that opportunities for happiness would be few and far apart... something that I was never promised to have as a luxury... but they told me that I would make the stuff of dreams, that all around me I would light the world for generations to come..."

"But then the worst happened... Jacob changed his name to Jacob Dreamcrusher... and I was deemed with the name that has haunted me for countless nights, making me wonder if it would come with me to my deathbed... the name that all feared that would never happen..."

"I was named and deemed as The Last Dreamrider... and that I would live that name until death... but that's not what Michael the First sought out for... he sought for the life and prosperity of all those beneath him... and I love him for that... I will avenge all those who died with the name Dreamrider still attached to them, and will take hostile action to all those who represent the Dreamcrushers in any way... Alexander... Stephanie... Matthew... Josiah... and Sarah... my brothers and sisters... The Dreamriders."

…

"Now you know what I mean by I've been through so much more than you could have imagined... still think you've been through more? I challenge the man who says it proudly, 'I have seen more shit than the Last Dreamrider himself.'."

… _T... Michael... what..._

… _how did... and she..._

My mouth quivered quickly as it tried to find words to speak but none were found that made any sense... I had not a clue that he had ever been through as much as I had imagined... he's... been through enough for 3 lives! Or more!

"My life is my life. Your life is your life. I won't judge yours, and don't even think about judging mine. You still owe me an eye." He seethed as he then turned around and walked to the ammunition and began to grab little packets of energy to supply his weapons.

"I-I'm... I'm so sorry I didn't k-"

"Are you apologizing 'cause you didn't know, or are you apologizing because you accused me?" He asked seriously through a concerned and angered look.

"I've had just about enough of this! I have tolerated you and tolerated you and I have reached my limits as a Princess! So what if you lost what you lost! Does it earn you anything? Do you receive any special merit for saying I lost more than you did? What of you, Michael? You are letting your own selfishness and single-minded desires get in the way of your true nature! Why do you think I was who I was? Because I let the bad interfere with the good and ruined myself from the inside out! I tell you as a friend, do not let yourself become like I was!... and don't you dare become what my sister was like..." I told him as he looked at me in serious shock.

"If not for me, then do it for your _real_ friends..." I finished as a single tear fell from his saddened face.

"Oh what does it matter what I do? I mean, it's not like I'm someone special to anyone but the humans who have been shown evil and cruel taskmasters... I feel as if I'm just some guy with a burden to bear. I mean, what difference does it make if I jump off a cliff and die? Who's gonna care?" He looked at me as if he genuinely believed it.

"Nopony? Care? Michael, what are you talking about? You _are_ cared for! Every day you we re constantly checked upon in the hospital and not a one ever despised the notion! You don't believe me, then fine! Have it your way!"

"Listen to yourself. _You? Actually caring about_ _me_ _?_ I can't believe it. You certainly didn't sound like this in the castle."

"That was because of-"

"NOTHING! THAT WAS YOUR CHOICE!" He yelled, making me jump for a moment as he took his eye-patch off.

"Look at it! This was _your choice!_ " He yelled as his left eye socket was nothing but an empty pit... something that would give me nightmares for weeks and weeks.

"I couldn't do anything about it. You just shoved it right in there and gave it a twist. Did you even know what you were doing? Do you know how it feels to have your eye stabbed and twisted and then plucked out like a feather? No! You don't! Because you didn't have someone come over and perform something rash and harmful like you did to me. So don't tell me 'That was because of blah blah blah bullshit. You did it. You own up to it. You regretted it. Now leave me alone." He finished coldly as I looked down and his words echoed around my mind...

… he wants me to leave him...

… alone...

… but he knows I can't do that.

"Michael," I started, inhaling and speaking in a serious and almost commanding tone of voice as he turned his head and frowned,"you are either with me, or without me... I don't care." I told him coldly as he looked at me in slight shock, obviously hiding his true emotions.

"W-W-Uh-W-what?" He looked at me and gave me full attention.

"Either you can travel this road alone... or you can have a friend to help light the way." I told him as I used the very same line I used on my niece, Princess Cadence... it has not failed me yet... it should not now.

He looked down at the weapons and ammunition and at me again before his gaze set back on the weapon and he lifted it slightly to observe it. He shook his head and closed his eyes in shame.

"What am I doing?..." He said to himself as I slowly and almost unsuspectingly walked over to him to embrace him. When I reached him I turned his body to face me and hugged him slowly, his gaze never leaving the weapon as I wrapped my hoof around the right side of his neck and held his head and pulled it as he turned to look at me.

His eyes met with mine and held their gaze at mine as I gazed into his with such wonder as to what kind of man he was... what made him set his mind so fervently to his goals in life... and...

… what he looks for in a mare.

He blinked and looked down before he hugged me for a moment. When he stopped embracing me I sighed quietly in disappointment that he didn't feel quite as I do... maybe that would come with time...

He swapped energy cartridges and looked at me again in the same gaze as before. But this time it was different... he seemed to be... probing me. Something I do to others, not others do to me... he's either in wonder or he's madly experienced.

I had hoped the latter.

But at this point I felt like all my privacy and secrets had been let out of their containment and let free for him to explore and discover... as if he knew exactly what he was looking for.

What was strange enough was that his iris glowed a dim but lava-colored orange before they then flashed brightly in the same color before he squeezed his eye shut in pain. He opened his eye again with the same color, but very faint as he looked at me in wonder this time.

"... Michael...?" I looked at him as I saw something emerge from his heart that I never thought I'd see from him.

"Y... y..."

"Michael?" I looked at him again as he looked away suddenly and ripped himself from my arms and growled loudly.

"What the _hell_ am I _DOING?!_ " He asked himself as I walked towards him again as he backed away and grabbed the weapon and looked at himself in the reflection. The color in his eye had slightly brightened.

"What the f... shiiiiit." He panicked while he then slammed his hand down on the table in an angry manner as he then looked at me again only to slap his head in an annoyed manner while sighing in disgust.

"Michael?" I looked at him as I walked over slowly again to him. He backed up in sync with my steps until he bumped up against a crate. _Finally..._ _cornered._

"D-don't look at me like that. I-I don't know what to think anymore." He confessed instantly as I stopped and looked at him while raising an eyebrow in ponderous wonder. What did I do to warrant that? And what did he mean by 'I don't know what to think anymore.'? What was he speaking of?

It's as if he was speaking about his feelings... his emotions... something I didn't believe he'd speak to me about.

"Michael, what are you talking about?" I asked him as he shook his head and buried it in his hands.

"I don't know! It's all so strange! What would my father say to this!" He responded to me as then I wondered what he mean by the strange phrase, 'What would my father say to this!'...

… his father is dead. Could it be Michael the First?

And what were his feelings on the matter?... ugh. So many things to discover, so little time... I must know this boy before it's too late.

Before any _ **one**_ else.

"How is... he... coming, Luna?" I asked her through breaths as we were hiking up a large and steep hill. The elevation gain from the second leg, which we just accomplished, was 3880 span across 7 miles. Now we had to climb the elevation to 7010... quite a trip.

Through I calculated through my map that we had already made 4 out of 6 miles up... the long part was over. From here it should be easier... but it was getting cold, and these saddle-bags were not getting any lighter.

Luckily, with the invention of the propane stove that the humans invented, we had warm food and cold water in our bellies when we camped. For now, on the hike, we had snacks to keep up our energy level... anyway,

"He's fine, but his emotions are off the wall. It shows that he's angry, confused, scared, frightened... and... affectionate."

"What?" Rainbow asked as we all looked at her.

"Yes... human emotion signatures are similar to a pony's, but much more complex... I believe he is showing some type of love to another... but it doesn't stop there."

"The only one near him is Celestia... which is what his frame of mind is centered on... it's as if... no... that would be inequestrian... that would be taboo!" She said to herself as we all took a break and Ellie walked over to us.

"What would be taboo?"

"Nothing! Nothing at all!" Luna threw out the words quickly and looked around quickly as we all looked at one another.

"Um... Ellie, I beg of you a personal question..." Luna asked as Ellie nodded.

"If it's about Michael, it's not really personal..." She noted before Luna asked as Luna nodded.

"Is it... considered... well, bad for humans and ponies to..." Luna silently conveyed the last part as we all looked at her strangely and in an appalled way.

"Well... as far as I'm concerned, few things are bad in our culture, and that's just about the ground-breaker for us. Nothing, in the history of mankind, has ever made it so clear as to how bad it is for sexual relations or romantic relations to exist between pony and man... it's inhumane. It is considered worse than murder of the first degree... it warrants death by burning at the stake." Ellie finished as we all stood silent and Luna gave off a distressed look.

"Bu-but, M-M-M-a-and he- but then-what-" Luna stammered in an unusual and rare way.

"Spit it out!" Ellie said while Luna finally managed collect the strength.

"What if Michael ever... had relations?" Luna asked as we all looked at he and a few more humans joined the conversation after some eavesdropping.

"W-well... I..."

"Would you burn him at the stake?"

"Of for heavens sake, no!" Ellie replied as she looked at Luna in a way that we don't see often.

"Then... what would you do with him?" I asked, wanting to know as if I had an itch to know such answer.

"Well I... I... I don't... know." Ellie replied, obviously letting emotions get in the way of the laws which have been set down for the ages and ages to come.

"Section says that humans who share romantic relations with the ponykind are subject to an investigation and if proven true will be burned at the stake without hesitation. The execution will take place in a public area to set an example for all to see." A human behind her answered in an arrogant voice.

"You idiot! Do you know who your talking about?!" Ellie screamed in his face after whirling around to his smug face.

"I'm just repeatin' what was stuffed down my throat." He smirked some more.

"Would you like a grenade next?" She asked in a crazy manner as he held up his hands and chuckled.

"Oooh... rawr." He said as she blushed and pouted for a moment before turning around with pink cheeks.

"I would not kill him!... and in fact... I can't... no one has the authority to burn him at the stake... he is the leader of what is left... the Unifier. He cannot be killed or else all hope would be destroyed..." She finished as we noted silently.

"Why would you ask such a question?" Ellie asked Luna as it was now Luna's turn to blush. And blush she did.

"I... I saw... Michael... and he... something is making him feel strongly towards somepony and the only one around is my sister, so I thought... I thought that it would be bad to the humans if... anything happened."

"Whaddya mean?" I asked Luna as she looked towards me and blushed harder. I looked at the orb using my magic and allowed myself to see what was going on... Celestia seemed to be... hugging Michael? Comforting him?

"If you think that's weird, check this." I said as Luna looked at it and blushed hard again, her pink cheeks lighting red.

"What is going on?" Ellie asked as we both looked at her.

"Um... Luna why don't you take this one?" I told her as she frowned at me and then looked at Ellie.

"Well... Ellie... we... think that..."

"... We think that Michael is... considering... romantic relations with her sister." I said after Luna failed to do so. Ellie stood silent and quiet as I knew the knowledge wouldn't hit well.

"But... Michael... he's... I thought he... with... me..." She said aloud as the other humans gave off a shocked look and thought silently.

"I don't know for sure but... Michael has changed... something isn't the way it used to be... but I warn you, Ellie, my sister has a way with males... human or pony... she acts a certain way when she thinks she's found the right one... and not yet has a pony resisted her seduction."

"My sister somehow was born with this talent and has put it to good use for a long, long time. Nopony has been able to figure it out when it comes to her... so I warn you, my sister would have no problem with your Michael." She told her as Ellie then smirked just a tad, to our surprise.

"Well... I think Michael has a few tricks up his sleeve..."

"After all, what isn't a romanticist without it's perks?"

 **End of Chapter 7**

 **Uh oh. Taboo incoming... but it won't happen for another few chaps or so. Romance is something I didn't want to jump right into... so... I decided to hold it there for as long as I can hold it... and that's damn hard.**

 **Though I confess, the part about Michael being a romanticist? That was from me. I inputted that from my own characteristics... That's who I am. I love romance. It's awesome when it's correctly and rightly put in it's own setting and plot, and when it's just right, it will blossom into a vibrant and intense embrace that will never leave them.**

 **So... yes, it's all true. Every one of my stories has romance in them because I just love it. Judge me if you want, but I won't stop... but you guys and girls are awesome so I know you won't do that. :)**

 **So thanks for reading the next installment of The Last Dreamrider, you guys and girls! Leave a comment in the review section if you want, and follow the story for a feed on updated chapters, and if you like it, give it a favorite located below!**

 **Seeya next time, all!**


	8. The Great Escape pt 3

**Hello.**

 **Welcome back.**

 **The story so far;**

 **Twilight, making it this far with her new friends of the humans and hiking it up with full packs with Ellie and the rest, is determined to get her wonderful teacher back from the clutches of the Dreamcrushers. It's only a few more miles to the bottom of No Pony's Land, and they've made the third leg of four.**

 **Celestia, unsure of her unusually rare and upsetting feelings towards Michael have stirred something up in Michael as well. He now finds himself scared... it means death if he pursues this feeling... death and love, or life and death?**

 **Michael, now glimpsing what he feels inside, he must put it out of his mind as now they must continue the journey to make it closer and closer out of the Dreamcrusher's HQ alive. Fully rested and fully stocked on weapons, Michael and Celestia again set out on the life-threatening mission to freedom to regain once again what was lost.**

 **That's it so far.**

 **I hope you like this next installment of The Last Dreamrider.**

 **This should be about the same as last. Boring, maybe, but bear with me, some important stuff from Michael is going to be released... soon. So yeh, boring, but with _some_ stuff... I think.**

 **Begin and Believe!**

 **Well... This Is All _Too_ Familiar**

"Where... where the heck did that scout go?" I asked myself as Celestia watched me ponderously and caring from a distance as I could feel her gaze on me. I looked at her to see her gaze still set on me. When my eye my met hers I immediately pulled away and looked away.

"Hello?" I called as I saw the makeshift sleeping bag empty as I knew there was now only two left... but they were gone. I walked over quickly and picked up a small black box which had a small blinking light which shown red... interesting.

 _What could this be? Some electrical device... a jammer? No... couldn't be. My HUD would be jacked up by now..._

I put it back down and sighed in wonder as I then turned my head to the left slightly to hear a strange and unusual noise from about 20 meters away... interesting. My Motion Sensor on the HUD which shown was beginning to fuzz out... a jammer?

"Hello? Mr. Scout person?" I asked as I walked over as Celestia followed behind from a ways back... _what was with her?_

"Hellooo?" I asked again as I looked down the hallway and saw nothing.

*Clunk*

There it is again, 20 meters to my left... what in the world?

"Okay, this isn't funn...y." I stopped when my footsteps began to echo... either someone was behind me... or this place echoes...

I turned around sharply to see no one behind... _wait... what?_ I looked at the air and squinted my eye to see a strange distortion in the light as I knew this was not natural... but the more I looked at it, the more it seemed man-made...

 _Oh._

 _Shit._

The distortion seemed to notice, as if in the shape of a humanoid, suddenly leaped at me and out came a soldier from the Dreamcrusher's elite division as he grabbed my throat and covered my mouth to stop me from screaming.

"Shhh..." He said while my vision began to blur and the sounds began to echo. The inevitable signs of suffocation. I grabbed his throat and began to shove to get his hand off my throat to breath. Slowly but surely his arm began to let go because he didn't have the arm length to choke me any longer.

"HELP!" I screamed through his hand as I heard two more come to stop me and hold my arms down while a fourth one pulled out a syringe of serum meant to either kill me or incapacitate me.

I heard the sound of hoofsteps come around the corner as I the man with the syringe was grabbed strongly and thrown back by a fiery hoof as he was smashed in the head with her bottom right hoof, spreading blood on it.

"What the hell?"

" **Die."** She frowned angrily as she bucked the one off my stomach who was choking me, flying and screaming past me 20 feet behind me and landed on his face.

The third one to my left stopped holding me down to take a stand and swung at her with his left fist as she grabbed around his neck and grabbed my knife and sliced the Achilles tendon on his feet in super-human swiftness, making him scream in pain.

Finally, the pain was leaving me slowly as she threw the next one away but he quickly got back up. Bad idea. She bucked him into some crates as they collapsed and exploded. She snorted out hot, steamy breath and panted for air as she then looked down. She knelt down, her fiery body now returning to normal while wrapping her left hoof around my back and another around the back of my head and pulled me up.

I found myself hugging her as I knew this was another instance of death or at least what I thought could have been... and I... cried into her shoulder, matting the otherwise pristine coat of fur that could pass as the worlds softest blanket.

"Michael... I understand you wishing to complete things on your own, but you cannot do so if they endanger your life. I cannot allow you to throw away your life like that because you think that nopony cares!" She told me and scolded me as I nodded and she replied in same.

"Now hush... we'll get out of here, just you wait."

"What if there's more people around?"

"Let them find us. We will show them what we can do." She said in a confident tone. Though I was surprised at her sudden actions... it was like her attitude changed in a fraction of a second... but... somehow that was... Attractive.

If she was anything but a pony, though...

After I began to recollect myself up from the shattered remains on the ground, I stopped hugging her and looked her in the eye.

"Thanks... I appreciate what you're doing for me... rarely did I ever get treated with kindness... actually... I didn't." I told her as I was only a 17-year old who carried the weight of the world.

And it was a pretty big world.

"Tsk... you poor baby." She whispered to herself as she wrapped her right hoof around to the back of my head and embraced me again... something about her hugging me was like hugging Ellie or like my mother when I was still too young and ignorant to know the faults in my parents.

… but it still felt like a little slice of heaven.

She finally stopped hugging me so tightly, as I then sighed and closed my eye while my head hung low, swinging from side to side.

"When will this end?" I whined as she looked at me and shook her head.

"When it ends. This will end. We will make it out of here alive!" She reassured me as I looked at her again with a drowsy look.

"We just have to push on! You'll see!" She finished as my ears were met with another sound.

The sound of explosives.

"GO GO GO!" A loud voice screamed as we looked at each other and panicked.

I looked at the roofing and saw a duct to our left.

"Up there! GO!" I told her as I pushed over crates to block their path from reaching us any quicker. I climbed up quickly and saw Celestia was still struggling. I pulled her up but then was almost pulled away as another human pulled back. I pulled out my revolver and shot his arm off quickly and shot the rest of my magazine, pulling her up by my left arm and shoved her up the vent quickly.

"You'll regret that." I told them as my eye lit afire for a moment and they stared at me in shock as they had never seen the Dreamrider himself before.

They pointed their weapons and began firing wildly as I crawled into the duct quickly, being met with the rump of Celestia practically in my face... the only unnerving part is that I saw what I'm sure other stallions yearned for.

Yes, I did. The most sacred of areas. I fought the urge quickly and shook my head as I told her to get going... having this A-PR-AS really helps.

APRAS meaning All-Purpose Recon-Assault Suit. Sweet thing, indeed. I had a full layout of the entire base... and it was huge. We were stuck in the very bottom, in the prison cell block E.

We've made it to cell block A. We've made it that far... after this cell block, which I learned is a magic-free zone, Celestia will then again be able to use magic.

But after that, we will have made it two-thirds of the way... finally, a break to make it out of here.

Which was more than deserved, anyway.

"Where are we going?" She asked inquisitively as I knew they were obviously figuring out a way to ambush us when we came out.

"We're going to the armory. I suspect they'll have some better weapons there. Something that I can use _effectively_." I deadpanned.

"Well hasn't the current tool been working just fine?"

"No. It has literally no stopping power. I want to be able to shoot someone, and watch them die. Not shoot them and watch them shoot back."

"Oh..." She silenced as I tried not to stare into her private area.

But it was so damn hard!

"Well didn't the boxes have weapons?"

"Of the same kind, yes. Those and shotguns, but who wants a shotgun?" I said as I thought about the notion for all but a fleeting moment... _Maybe I should've checked the rest of the guns out... but we would still have to climb our way out of here..._

… _At least after my hard_ _ening problem_ _leaves me._

After a few more feet, I tried to halt her. _I can't just poke her... neither can I pull her leg._ _I guess 'ol verbal here will have to do the trick._

"Celestia. Stop. We need to take a left and proceed down until the next right." I told her as she acknowledged.

She obviously overshot as she backed up swiftly to turn left...

… unfortunately... she hit my face.

And you know what I'm talking about. I instantly shut my eye and jerked away, banging my head on the ceiling.

"Michael?" She looked at me face to face as I opened my eye to see hers and I looked at her with an angry but embarrassed expression plastered on my face.

"Why'd you do that? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!" I pouted loudly as she looked at me strangely.

"Well... I-I'm sorry if I hit you." She told me as I pouted, cheeks screaming red as roses... I reached up to touch my nose tip and felt a semi-water, semi-gel liquid as it was gooey and... warm. Not to mention sticky.

I hesitantly smelled it and recognized the smell. I looked up seriously at Celestia as she looked at the drop and back into my eye again.

"What?" She tried to hide her embarrassment, the cheeks of hers becoming light pink.

"What is this?" I smelled it again as it held the scent of... some kind of bodily fluid. Which was also giving off a very... unrecognizable yet dreamy feeling inside me...

Something I shook my head to and ignored in that way off for as long as needed.

"I don't know." She replied.

"You mean to tell me you don't even know yourself that well? You've been alive for over 1000 years and your telling me you don't know what this is?"

"That's bullshit. I'll tell you what this is, it's-"

She put her hoof on my mouth to silence me and looked at me with care for a moment in those amazingly gentle and loving orbs of violet.

"Michael, please, we have more important things to accomplish, now is not the time to ask such questions." She pleaded with me as I pouted and silenced quickly. I did want to know more.

"A left until the next right, yes?" She asked me while crawling down the vent. "That is our destination, yes?" She asked me.

"Yes, it is." I replied, defeated and forever silenced on the touchy and yet... unforgettable subject. "But I-"

"No buts." She finished as I sighed in annoyance and proceeded to make my way out towards the vent ends. We took another right and then a left and proceeded to make our way to the armory.

Hopefully they would have better weapons.

She crawled over a vent grate and I told her to stop. Quietly, of course.

She expertly turned around, and faced me as I was intently staring at the vent as I pulled it up and silently put it behind me as I nodded to her and dropped down silently.

I was like the wind. Miss me and that's it, but you know I'm there when you know it.

"I'm not as small as you are, size-wise, Michael." She told me as I sighed in annoyance yet again as I braced myself to catch her. Trixie was quite heavy, as all ponies are, but Celestia was a tank. Not fat, heavens no, but muscle like you wouldn't believe. Not brimming, but... it was well hidden behind her mare-like form.

She crawled down and finally let go and fell into my arms, but when I caught her, I was forced onto one knee from the sudden weight which fell into my arms.

"Hrrnnn." I grunted and growled loudly as I stood up shakily and placed her on the floor gracefully. I collapsed against a black box a she looked around inquisitively.

"What is this place?"

"This... is the supply room. Facing directly adjacent to the armory." I smirked as we made our way to the door which held access to the armory.

"Keypad?" I echoed aloud as I cursed silently and proceeded to stay clueless as to what the pass-code could be.

*SMASH*

"AIYEEE!" I jumped back in a lightning-quick manner as she smashed the keypad and sparks flew to the floor as she smirked.

"Where did you come up with that?" I questioned as she smirked again.

"I got it from you." She smiled gently as I looked at her strangely but then I nodded.

"Okay... let's see if it worked." I grabbed the door handle, but it didn't budge. "Not quite like me." I smirked as she deadpanned and gave off an annoyed look. She walked back to the crates and began to look around for thing to use as I took the panel off and inspected the damage.

"Michael?" Celestia called me as I looked her way and she motioned for my presence. "What is this?" She asked as she held up and pointed to a package which read: 'C-13 High Explosives'.

"Holy crap, where'd you find that!?" I grabbed it like a 9-year-old kid who got his favorite toy on Christmas Day.

"I found it it here. Along with the rest of them." She pointed as I looked down to see at least 400 pounds of the satchel charges.

"Complete with a detonator as well... well screw it, I'm using this." I shrugged and smirked as I removed the cover for the adhesive and stuck it on the keypad and set the time for 10 seconds.

"How do you know to program this?" She asked as I looked back.

"Because... I used to... never mind." I shook my head as my memory of Acirema's Counter-Terrorist Program rang loudly through my mind. "Just, never mind..." I sighed in depression as she began to shuffle uncomfortably. Obviously wanting to know more.

"Used to what?" She inquired as I gritted my teeth and clenched my hands in fists.

"I said never mind!" I yelled as she walked backwards in shock.

"Get behind cover." I told her as she looked at me strangely with the raising of her left eyebrow. I pressed the start button and the countdown started.

"Why?" She asked as I looked at her in shock, my legs frozen in time. I looked back at the glanced at the countdown timer, stammering as it read 5 seconds.

"WATCH OUT!" I ran towards her quickly and grabbed her while cushioning her fall with my arms as the bomb beeped rapidly and then stopped abruptly.

"Oof!"

*BOOM*

…

"... Mi... chael?" Celestia called me as I opened my eye and looked at her. I stared in her caring and curious eyes as they radiated a sense of security. "Michael?" She called me again as I shook my head, my iris lighting afire quickly but then returning to normal.

I quickly proceeded to get on my feet and pull her up as I shook my head again in disgust.

"Well... what the hell." I cursed at myself as I banged my fist on the crate and turned around... what was it with her? Why do I feel this way?

"Michael? I just wanted to say... thank you for what you did. Clearly I was too incompetent to know what that meant..." She apologized and thanked me as I looked back at her.

"Don't apologize." I told her. It was enough that I felt this way. "... Now let's check it out." I finished, turning around to see the door was blasted away at least 15 feet.

"Damn." I whistled in shock as I walked up to the entry and cleared the smoke. I looked to see multiple green lasers pointing onto my torso and one on my head as Celestia walked behind me. I looked back in shock as I trembled and looked back.

"HANDS ON THE GROUND! WE HAVE THE PREMISIS SURROUNDED! SURRENDER NOW!" Boomed a loud voice as I slowly and stealthily backed up and shoved Celestia slowly away. I then turned around quickly and ran.

*BABABABABABA BOOM BOOM* Went the sound of their machine guns and rocket launchers as I cleared the fire, but a rocket exploded by my feet by 5 feet and threw me into the wall, injuring my left shoulder blade.

"Michael!" Celestia came to my immediate rescue as the other soldiers rushed in, grabbing Celestia and dragging her away.

"No... No..." I began to mumble, my vision spinning and my head pounding.

" **NOOOO!"** I screamed loudly and stumbled to stand up, my knees wobbling as I leaped at the man on the right, and punching him in the throat quickly and then lunging at the other soldier as I stabbed him in the neck, ripping the knife out smoothly while blood engulfed it.

I looked at my hands to see they were glowing, looking as if they were made of fire. I grabbed Celestia and pulled her inside the room quickly as energy projectiles ricocheted off the walls and floor.

"Get me those charges!" I yelled to her as she threw me two and I programmed them both for 4 seconds. I stood in the doorway for a fleeting moment and threw them both, watching them explode as they created a smoke screen.

I grabbed her hoof and dragged her with me as we ran.

"Let's go!" I told her as she nodded quickly and we ran through the smoke and made it to another door. I grabbed two of my grenades when the smoke was cleared and threw them both towards the enemy soldiers, being rewarded with curses and screams.

Music to my ears.

She opened a door and I ran through, running to the middle of a room with was the size of 100 gymnasiums.

"Holy damn."

"Hfvfvfvfv... brr... so cold." Rainbow penetrated the silence of the snow as the wind kicked in the exact moment she said that.

"Well you should've brought warm clothing like us."

"It weighed to much!" She explained.

"Did you want to pack the rainboots or the WINTER boots?"

She blushed and scratched the back of her head while chuckling nervously as I rolled my eyes.

"Do some exercises." I told her as she I smiled and nodded. A whoosh here, a whoosh there, we're all good, right?

"Wow! That felt _great!_ " She chuckled in triumph as the other humans looked behind.

"I wish it was that easy." A few wished.

"Is that it?" A few humans pointed while one spoke up. I looked forwards and saw the oddly shaped formation of rocks which resembled something of a horn.

Devil's Horn.

"Wha-that can't-I mean-we're not-" I began to stammer while my head bounced from the map to the horn.

"What is it?" Ellie looked towards me after her eyes were glued on the Horn.

"That can't be... Devil's Horn? But on the map that isn't for 4 more miles!" I exclaimed as one of the humans walked up.

"Let me see that." He told me while he grabbed the map out of my hooves.

I looked at Ellie as she looked over his shoulder.

"Hmm... this map is much too outdated. The seismic jolts and vibrations have shifted it and the mountain miles from the previous area... it's a miracle it still _looks_ similar to what your looking for." He concluded. "From the size of the earthquakes it's been having it's yet another miracle it hasn't collapsed."

"Hmmm... maybe that's why it looks so strange..." I pondered as a few more humans ran ahead, armed with some strange tools.

"What are they doing?" I asked Ellie. "Shouldn't they stay with us?" I raised an eyebrow in query to my question.

"No. I told them to go scout ahead when we got near Devil's Horn." She explained. "And scout they will." She looked back as they ran over a hill and disappeared.

Only to come running back, screaming.

"AHHHH!" They all screamed in unison as the other humans readied their weapons quickly.

"What's going on?" Ellie asked, putting her hand on her holster quickly.

"That!" They yelled and pointed as at least 12 or 15 snow leopards leaped over the hill and began to tear into the humans... though they didn't make much of a show, really.

"FIRE!" A human said as they all began to fire onto the snow leopards. I looked to my left as one tried to ambush me and the gang. I gritted my teeth and shot a magic bolt at it as Fluttershy cowered in fear.

"Why are you hurting them!"

"These aren't the friendly type, Fluttershy. They don't like ya and that's that." Applejack told her as she nodded and cowered in the snow quickly, disappearing from sight.

"Look out!" I told Rarity as she looked to her right and shot a bolt of magic at the leopard. Applejack bucked the third and Rainbow flew up and hoof-smashed it quickly on the trip down.

The battle was over surprisingly quickly... but at the cost of 9 humans.

"No, no... no, no, no, no, no, no... no!" A human knelt over a body as more began to look at the others who were dead... except one.

He was still alive... but mortally wounded.

A human knelt down quickly and held his hand as the blood poured from his mouth, his stomach slashed open and bleeding out rapidly.

"Walter... no..." The human began to cry and hunch over in sadness as if he no strength left.

"It was b-bound to happen, was-wasn't it?" He smirked and sighed in pain. "Just... tell me this..."

"Yes?" The crying human said while he listened intently.

"Go kick their asses." He smirked and then looked up as if something was grabbing his attention. He breathed one last breath and then remained still as ice... you could almost see something leave his eyes.

The essence of his body, the soul.

"Damnit! How did this happen!" Ellie cursed and stomped as they looked at her.

"I cannot believe a pack of cats came and gave you all a hard time! What would Michael say do to this... Militia!?" She insulted as they all began to look down and hang their heads in regret and shame.

"I'm appalled that they did this much to our squad. They should have been dead instantly." She seethed as they looked at her again.

"Get up. Leave them. We don't have time to bury them." She walked past the rest of them and over the hill as they began to pick themselves up and piece themselves together.

"C'mon now, you guys... we can still do this. William, Jody, Maxwell, and the rest of 'em... they're up there now... counting on us to do the job as they wanted it done. I know you can do it. I believe in you. Now c'mon, we gotta keep moving." He told them as they looked down, then up, then to George.

"Y-yes..." They whispered.

"What?" He leaned in.

"Yes..." They said louder, but still quietly.

"I can't hear you!"

"Yes sir!" They finally said as George smiled and nodded.

"That's the spirit! Now let's go get 'em, boys!" He smiled as they picked their weapons up and nodded while smiling.

"Let's go!" A few said, running over the hill as we followed behind. George took his helmet off to the dead soldiers and nodded before he follow us down the hill. Another hill awaited us as Ellie stood on the top with the rest of the soldiers.

We came over the hill to see a large, heavily lit, artificial base built into the mountains. Machines which somehow flew through the air at supersonic speeds guarded it closely as Ellie pointed her finger for a moment.

"That's where our package is." She shook her head. "Michael's in there somewhere... now we're gonna get him out." She smirked as the other humans looked at it in horror.

"That can't be it... is it?"

"According to the map..." I started.

"And plain eyesight..." George continued.

"That's it." Ellie finished and furrowed her brows.

"Just look at them... just standing out there... waiting for the bullet..." A sick-sounding human in complete black armor said in a sinister tone as he held a skinny but long weapon.

"That's XM1... our top sniper." George pointed out to us.

"I know, it's like they _want_ it..." The other, identical human said.

"That's XM2." George pointed out again. "They're a little... well... off. But they're good snipers. XM2 is just a hair less, well, better than XM1. XM1 could shoot a pebble off your head at 7000 feet. Just give him a half-an-hour or so to get it zoomed in." George said as we looked at him shocked.

"Yes... do you want to see?" XM1 asked as we looked at him and backed up in fear.

"Go easy on 'em, 1, they're here to help." George came to our rescue as XM1 sighed and shrugged.

"Maybe later..." He grumbled. I looked out again to the large, obviously artificial base of metal which was carefully guarded from all sides... I judged the distance to be about 2,000 feet directly ahead. I trembled while staring ahead.

Like into the open jaws of a gaping monster.

"XM1 and 2, find a good position and provide sniper support for the rescue team. When you have shots, take them. We will be watching for your signal." Ellie told them as they looked around and immediately found a place to set up.

"The rest, being all of 19 people, divide yourselves into a respective group." She told them as they re-organized the groups and decided that it was so. It only took all of a minute or two.

Finally, they had two groups. One is Breach Team 1 and the other took the name of Support Wave 4.

"Alright. Breach Team, you are going to be the kill team and clear the way for the Support Wave team. When you find yourself not able to go any longer, which means ammunition is gone, too many men lost or even surrounded, pull back and regroup with Support Wave 4. Then you will re-stock, using the ammo provided, and head out again. Support Wave 4, you will be a mobile base. This is why I provided you with extra ammo and explosives. Do not hesitate to give anything to Breach Team, as they are your offense. Just leave enough for your group." Ellie told them quickly as George nodded and the other officer in charge of Support Wave also nodded.

"Y'all hear that?" George spoke up as they all acknowledged silently and with gestures.

"I will be heading the charge for Breach Team 1," She started, turning to Breach Team,", you will follow every order I say. Even if it seems outrageous." She finished as they nodded quickly.

"Yes, sir!" They all saluted in unison as I looked at the two units as both weapons rang with a loud and deafening sound which resulted in the attention of Ellie.

They waved their hand and made signals which Ellie and her men translated immediately.

"That's the signal! Let's go!" George said as Ellie nodded and pointed int the direction of the base entrance... with the door of a size that a building could be transported through.

The humans and the rest of my group all ran through the snow at impeded speed as we almost reached the door when Ellie stopped us and made us lay in the snow.

I heard a rumbling sound as something rushed overhead at incredible speeds.

It made Rainbow Dash's Sonic Rainboom look slow and sad... just how fast WAS that thing? It had the shape of a strange bird... but it was mechanical.

"Go!" She said as we all stood up and began to run again. We reached the doors as Ellie looked at the side of the wall, something electronic protruding out from it.

"Keypad... also card activated... with a combination lock. Damn. Higgs! Get over here!" She ordered as a smaller, skinnier soldier ran up and she pointed to it.

"On it!" He said as he studied the object for a moment and then began to take tools out.

"Alright, set up a perimeter around here, an-" Ellie began to speak but stopped at another rumbling sound. This came with a rumble in the ground, too.

"Johnson, go see what that is."

"Yes, sir!" He ran around the corner and was quiet for a moment until we heard screaming.

"AHHH! RUUN!" He said as he threw himself towards us when he rounded the corner as a VERY large machine rolled around the corner and looked at us.

"Oh shit." Ellie said as the large machine, known as a tank, stopped in front of them.

"Men... just... stay... calm... and... don't move."

A hatch popped open and a man looked out.

"Hello!" Said the familiar XM1 with a wave and a smile as we all either almost fainted or felt as if a weight was lifted.

"Oh... Jesus, 1! What's wrong with you?! Can't you stop with the charades?" Ellie yelled at him.

"What, it's fun!" Said XM2 in the tank interior after looking out through a secondary hatch.

"Fun or not, I don't need bullshit. Now don't come crying to us if you get your ass shot up because of what your doing."

"Understood, sir, but... I'm the one with the tank." He said as Ellie waved them off to remain there until further orders.

"Higgs! Have you got that figured out?"

"No, sir. It's nothing like I ever saw or trained for." He shook his head in defeat.

"Blast! We gotta figure out a way to get through there." Ellie said as she looked at her men and thought.

The tank began to move forwards slightly, making the men move out of the way and XM1 pointed to the door.

"You want this open?"

"Yes."

"Get behind the tank."

"What are you doing? You think you can blow a hole through that? With that?"

"I think so... I doesn't seem very thick." XM2 spoke up as Ellie nodded and the men piled behind the tank.

"Ready!" Said Ellie as I created a magic bubble around my friends.

"Ready!" I said as XM2 fired, a loud, fiery blast sent smoke and pieces of metal flying everywhere as a loud and mechanical sound was heard, a metal case flying out of the tank and in front of me.

"Well, that's one cleared door." XM2 said as Ellie looked and I lowered my bubble shield.

"They know we're here now, yes?" I said and looked to Ellie as she looked back and nodded.

"Ditch the tank. We don't need it." She told the two as they nodded and got out.

"Alright Breach Team! Let's go!" She said as they all ran with her down the large hallways in side the base. I flew up to the second level, on the metal, balcony-like setting.

I ran ahead and above of Breach Team 1 to scout ahead to see the trouble ahead as I saw 20 or 30 soldiers coming ahead to lead the charge of the first wave.

"Watch out! 30 of them!" I pointed as Ellie and her team readied around various obstacles to protect themselves from incoming fire.

But this was only the first wave.

"What is... it." Celestia said and stopped as I only looked round to see enough room for two squadrons of jets to combat each other, or in other words, an 8 vs 8 with tanks.

"What is this place?"

…

"I... I don't know... this must be the armory... Just look at this stuff!" I said while running a large distance over to the first generation tank that was made by the Dreamcrusher's division.

I hopped in and inspected it... I had no idea how to run it. If I had similar training, then maybe... but I don't...

"Damn."

"What is it?"

"I don't know how to run this thing... oh well." I hopped out and looked around again to see a large, almost hanger-like building, but much smaller. For a tank, I think.

"What is this?"

"Um... it says right here." She told me as I walked over and read the label.

"Armored Weapon and Vehicle Fabricator?" I said aloud as I looked at the various designs of tanks and vehicles.

"Well... I can tell you one thing. The only thing we can use is tanks. And that's that."

"Why?"

"Because we're on ground, where tanks excel."

"Then how do you propose we use one?"

"Not any of those... give me a moment." I told her as I flipped through the different designs of tanks, then realizing I was in a sub-folder.

"Historical?" I said aloud as I tapped it and up it brought a large, old-style blueprint of what seemed like an Earth-style, Russian heavy tank known as the KV-4... interesting. I had some study on how these tanks operated.

I tapped on the search box and typed in something known as the E-100.

Up came a monster of a tank, the heaviest of heavies, the German-engineered tank which is the end-all doomsday for all others.

It asked me if I wanted to select a crew along with the tank itself when I fabricated it.

I selected a Driver, 3 loaders instead of 2 to increase the 15 second load time down to 10, and finally, I left the commander role to Celestia, as I was going to have to be the gunner of the tank.

She told me what to fire, and I destroyed it. Simple as that. I read along that the driver drives where you want him to go, using neural impulses. I tricked the computer into thinking I was the commander, taking over the gunner's position because he was dead, or at least to the computer.

It then asked me what engine I wanted in it. I chose a new and more modern, definitely powerful engine for this tank, as it was about 100 tons, and the previous engine had bad power/weigh ratio.

I then selected the 155mm gun on the tank, knowing that my enemies will have modern tanks with fast firing capability.

I tapped 'Create', and then the hanger when on lock down and began humming quite loudly.

"What is it doing?" She asked as I looked at her and then back at the machine.

"Making us a way out of here." I told her as the hanger stopped humming and showed a message which said it was complete.

It asked me if I wanted to keep it there for storage or else send it outside the fabricator. I chose the second option. The door slowly crept open, as the inside was pitch black. When the door stopped, the light switched on.

There, was a tank which was at least twice the size of the other tanks in here.

Grey and fearsome, I knew how to operate this tank. I could by hand, but not by myself.

At least, I couldn't _see_ anything outside. Every tank has a commander. If you don't. He and the rest of the crew can't see what's going on.

"What do we do?"

"Well... get in. I need to inspect something. Keep watch around outside, okay?"

"Alright. But why do I need to get inside that?"

"Because if a patrol comes by, you'll have a good chance to survive by retaliating." I told her as she nodded and climbed into the hatch.

I walked over to the modern and well-built tank. I climbed inside to it and inspected the armor and the engine. I pulled up inside it the status of the tank.

"Okay... 60 kph... 17 rounds per minute... 83 millimeters of armor?!" I said as I grabbed the glass piece of technology, hopped out and waved off the piece of garbage that I insultingly even gave a chance.

"Please." I scoffed and hopped into the German E-100, with 250 millimeters of armor.

"Alright. You know what to do?" I asked her as she nodded.

"Okay. Just tell me where the targets are at. Like if one is at our right, say 'target at our three o'clock.'. Okay?" I nodded as she did the same and looked out of the observation openings.

Soon I grabbed onto the gun and looked through the surprisingly visible ground in front of me. I could see almost everything as if nothing was in front of me.

Then the tank started rolling. Something I felt very strange and almost... familiar.

"How much ammo do we have, sergeant... Dickens?" I looked at his patch and asked.

"68 shells, sir! 30 High-Explosive, 20 Armor-Piercing, and 18 High-Explosive Anti-Tank!"

"Alright. Load the High-Explosive."

"Yes, sir!" He said as they went to work on reloading the shells, as the standard was Armor-Piercing.

I suddenly realized how fast this thing was going. 47 kph on flat, hard ground with ground resistance.

That was insane speed, but I didn't choose the older engine, I chose the ones that go into the Dreamcrusher's line of tanks. Good engine, I'll say.

I noticed something different, while driving through here.

The rest of the hallways and corridors were... huge! Obviously made for many tanks and such to drive through. I looked at the map to see where we were. We are on level below floor 1. Which is the floor we need to be on to get out of here.

"Where are we going to get an elevator?" I said while searching in the index box on the upper-right corner. It showed the possible ways to get up to the first floor from where I was at. It portrayed a line of where I needed to go, so I mounted it up next to the gunner's position and monitored it every now and then.

I met no resistance. Well, not that I could see.

We followed the line on the glass monitor until it reached a dot marking my destination.

"Good, l-"

"Intruder Alert! Intruder Alert! Level 1, Door 3, Breach! All available personnel to assist!" A voice said, repeating the message until I realized they weren't talking about us. That's why I met no resistance.

"What's that?" Celestia asked as the tank drove forwards.

"Something has breached the inner parts of this base... an enemy of those who live here.

"We made it this far." I said as the tank stopped and turned around. I got out and pressed the button with the number one on it and hopped back in as the door closed.

Humorously, the barrel got stuck in between them, and we had to turn the turret to make room for the doors. Then we slowly ascended upwards towards the upper levels, as we then heard a rumbling sound from above.

Then the elevator reached the level. When the fun started. We all noticed the tanks in front of us.

"Targets! 12 o'clock!" Celestia said as I admired her commander sense.

"Affirmative!" I replied in acknowledgment as I focused in on the first enemy tank, and fired the colossal gun, which gave off an equally colossal sound. The sound of _real_ engineering.

The tank blew to smithereens as the ammunition went flying everywhere and the turret flew off and in front of my tank. I simple rolled on and over the tank as now the attention was split between me and the opposing force. Obviously I was just engaging the support and backup force.

I rolled over the dead wreckage of the once-was tank and focused on the second target. I rolled past and fired, the tank exploding and leaving only a dead wreck in my wake. I finally gained speed and rammed the smaller, 27-ton tank, with a fast, 100+ ton tank. I smashed the back of The tank and began to let my E-100 chassis tracks chew up the bits and pieces of the tank as I crushed the turret and rolled over the turret-less tank.

Then came the looks of the soldiers in front.

"Sir! Look!" A young private pointed as the commander looked behind in fear as he told the private to get something. The private came out with a rocket-launcher, which made my mind race as I knew that if he hit my lower glasis between my front drive wheels, I was in deep trouble.

I turned the tank to the side slightly, angling the tank for a ricochet.

"Fire!" Said the commander as I smirked. The private fired the large rocket-launcher and it exploded on the turret of my tank as I was shook off the gunner's position and onto the floor of the tank as I got back up and looked through the smoke.

"My turn." I said as I clicked the two triggers and fired, the commander and the private both dying in a spectacular explosion, setting off the other munitions around them.

"Celestia! Can you use your magic?"

"Let me try... Yes! Yes I can!"

"Alright. Lock the upper hatch and set it with a spell that shocks anyone who touches it!"

"You got it!" She said as I began to roll forwards the tank into the next lot who decides to try their luck.

"Alright! Done!"

"Good. Now, l-"

"Targets! 6 o'clock!"

"Shit!" I said as I clutch-braked and turned the turret as quickly as possible and snap-shotted the first out of two tanks. The next tank fired at my front drive wheel and then again at the front of my turret, and the again, at my front right drive wheel.

"Goodbye." I said as I fired the gun and exploded his ammunition rack, spraying shrapnel everywhere.

"Celestia! Can I still use this hatch?"

"Yes. Only we can." She replied as I grabbed the toolkit, which was mighty heavy, and 8 more tracks out of 30 we had to repair the tracks.

"Take over my position!" Said as I got out of the tank and began to repair the track as fast as I could. Luckily, I only needed to replace 5 tracks, and I put the rest of the three back as I climbed onto the tank and back into the gunner's position.

I rolled the tank forwards again and began to find and shoot targets until I met where the concentration of enemies were.

"Keep your guns hot, or your next!" A commander said as I rolled around the corner.

"Yeah! Keep 'em back!"

"Run, cowards!"

"Target! 7 o'clock!"

I clutch-braked and looked at the target, aiming in carefully until I was ready, and fired.

"Haha! Take that, selfish bastard!"

"There they are again!" He said as they began to fire. I was getting ready to fire when a bolt of what seemed like magic hit my tank and shocked me and everyone inside, causing them to freeze and lose their senses for a brief period.

I opened the commander's hatch and looked around to see a group of six seemingly causing a distraction to them as I waved my fist.

"WATCH IT, WILL YA?!" I screamed as I got back in to the hatch and readied my cannon and fired at the center of the division of units which stood in my way. I rolled out of the way of another bolt as I looked up with a pair of binoculars and shook my fist again. These six were against the Dreamcrusher's, I knew it, but obviously, also against me. I fired and hit next to them as I knew it would hit them directly.

"Sir, what is _that!?_ " A sergeant asked the commander as they looked behind to see my tank rolling towards them.

"I-I don't know." He said as I fired on the move and destroyed half of the division, rolling through them like a hot knife through butter. The turret had 243 millimeters of armor in the front, and the hull was roughly the same. Nothing could penetrate this tank in the front without a seriously powerful cannon.

Unless you hit the lower glasis.

"Out of my way." I said as I ran over some of the soldiers and turned left as there was a small building in the side of the hallway.

I turned the gun backwards and looked at the tanks which were approaching, firing on the move. They'll never hit anything like that.

I fired a shot and missed, but hit wall and created a large cloud of dust as they rolled through it. I felt my tank seemingly shake as the back right drive wheel was shot and the tracks came off again, making my tank roll slightly to the side.

Luckily, the back of the tank was covered, and the turret, hull, and engine deck were at a 69 degree angle, perfect for ricochets.

And that's what they did. I hopped out and went around the protected side of the tank and began to repair the tracks. I used 6 tracks this time, screwing up once and prolonging the repair.

"What is that? Who's driving it?" I heard as a few soldiers walked around the corner and pointed their guns at me as I only focused on repairs. I had the building between me and the enemy tanks.

But if they fired HE, I was screwed.

"Who are you?!" One screamed at me as I closed the toolbox and looked at the and pointed at the enemy tanks, their jaws falling to the ground as they nodded and ran back to the platoon they were stationed in. I climbed back into the tank and pointed the turret towards them, and fired, the shell hitting the side of the tank, near the engine, and setting it on fire.

"AHH! Get out of the tank! Fire, fire!"

"Take that, ya bastard!" I laughed as the second tank rolled up, soon regretting that decision as I fired and exploded the ammunition rack again.

"Let's go! Driver, get me out of here!"

"Yes, sir!" He said as I rolled past the small platoon of 6 people. I was 15 meters or so away when I stopped and popped out of the tank hatch and looked at them.

"C'mon!" I said as they looked at me in shock.

I drove on and then met the attention of 12 or 13 enemy tanks parked in front of the entrance where I needed to go.

I fired on the move and exploded the first one, the second shell setting the other on fire. I knew it was only a matter of time until I was victorious.

After about a minute and a half, I found myself squaring off against one, very large tank that had only one advantage.

It was huge. Almost twice the size of my tank.

It fired and missed my tank, exploding in the front of mine as I knew that would've killed me if it hit the lower glasis.

I rolled towards it and blew it's track off, doing damage to the interior as I saw something blow up inside the side and metal flew off. I rolled around and began to shoot it in the rear of the turret, where the ammunition rack is. I saw a woman from the platoon run out to the tank with a large grenade in hand as she climbed up and dropped it down the barrel and heard a loud explosion.

The turret of the tank stopped moving as she jumped off and ran. I loaded 1 round of HEAT at the tank and pointed the gun directly behind the ammunition storage rack and fired, sending a HUGE explosion inside the tank and the ammunition which was inside it exploded as well, sending a fireball swelling over my tank as the explosion was futile against my tank.

"Target, in the air, at 10 o'clock!" Celestia notified me.

I heard a rumbling sound as a fighter jet roared overhead. I climbed onto the tank and used the extra angle for gun depression to fire at the jet which was flying straight towards me. I pulled the triggers and fired as the jet was immediately engulfed in an explosion, now only small pieces of metal which was sent to the ground in a fireball.

I reversed the tank off the dead hulk and opened the hatch and waved the platoon over here.

"How did you do that!?" A young private asked me as I looked at the mysterious six who were so diligently annoying me earlier.

I hopped out of the tank and helped Celestia out as well as she looked at the six who revealed themselves to me.

The Mane Six.

"Wh... How..." I began to wonder as my shock was all but meager to the emotion that was being shown from Celestia and the others.

The female warrior took her bandana off and looked at me with happiness as I looked at the familiar Ellie, who obviously conjured up this whole operation.

"Michael!" She said as I ran and met her halfway, hugging her tightly as I cried silently, missing the embrace of my friends, as I met only cruel, cold-hearted men who wanted nothing more than the destruction of everything I held dear.

"I'm so glad your back, Michael... we missed you so much." She said in my ear as I cried even harder, slowly piecing myself back together as I saw a small group of 3 run out and wave.

"Th... Th-thank you so much for helping me get out of this place, Ellie... I-I don't think I could've done it without your forces... or you." I told her as she embraced me a small bit tighter at those words.

"WAIT FOR US!" A male voice said as I looked at them.

"I don't believe it." I said as Ellie stopped hugging me.

"What?"

"The scout team."

"What scout team?" She asked as I looked at them, running towards us.

"They scouted out the area for some other unknown human element, but was captured trying to escape."

"You made it!" I said as he nodded, out of breath.

"We gotta go!"

"Why?" I asked.

"THAT!" He pointed as the larger tanks began to roll around the side, and smaller tank began to roll out of the entrance we made it out of.

"Get on or get in!" I said as Celestia and the Mane Six crowded in and the rest of the Dreamrider's Platoon piled onto the engine deck. I drove the tank forwards and seemingly didn't go as fast as they.

"Driver! Put in the 105-octane! And pull out of the speed governor!" I yelled at him as I knew what I was doing. The speed governor gave us a 10% engine power boost, and so did the 105-octane gasoline.

Now this tank was rolling.

A whopping 58 kph, faster than those tank could go through snow. I pointed the turret and fired, hitting a tank and exploding it as now we were about to drive down a downward slope.

"Hold on!" I yelled as we made a shocking 66 kph down the hill in a 100+ ton tank. Something this tank wouldn't ever do with the engine that it was designed for.

"Keep holding, guys! This is gonna be a bumpy ride!"

 **End of Chapter 8**

 **Yep. E 100 for ya. Beast of a tank, it is. Well, with the 155mm gun. It's slower reload, slightly less accurate, and with a bad aiming time, but packs a huge punch, as you can see, to these small tanks.**

 **The 127mm, has a good-ish aiming time, good-ish reload, and good-ish accuracy. But the power is bad. So, that is why Michael wouldn't have chosen the 127mm.**

 **If he had chose that 127mm to go against that last big tank, he would've died trying to destroy it.**

 **So thanks for reading, guys, and I hope ya liked it, and I'll catch ya next time.**

 **;)**


	9. The Aftermath

**Hello you guys and girls again, here is another chapter, really the follow up of what happened.**

 **The story so far;**

 **Michael, after finding the vehicle fabricator, created himself something that was quite unknown to man and other civilizations until now. The dreaded E-100. He, using that tank, got him and Celestia out of harms way.**

 **Celestia, being the essential co-pilot/commander of the tank, helped and saved their lives many times.**

 **Ellie and Twilight finally made it to the base and created a distraction large enough for Michael and Celestia to make it through without too much resistance. Their forces, together, allowed the passage of the ones they hold dear.**

 **That's it so far. Ready for the aftermath?**

 **Yeah, ya are. ;D**

 **Enjoy!**

 **The Aftermath; Unexpected Advances**

"C'mon! How far are we?!" I yelled at Ellie as she looked at the map and then at me, worriedly.

"We are almost there, but don't you think we should stop and take a breather?"

"No! Not when they are still out there!" I said as I saw one emerge from the bushes with two little friends and catch up to me, only for me to destroy the leader in the middle. The enemy tanks had resorted to shooting the track and drive wheels on the tank, but at that speed, they would never hit anything.

Especially with the slight wiggling that I had been doing back and forth to dodge track shots. That wouldn't be good. The men who are on the engine deck had run out of ammo to fire and had resorted to grenades. Obviously they had quite a bit, they killed 6 of them.

"C'mon, c'mon!" I said as I could see the opening ahead, the trees and shrubbery getting thicker, as it was about 600 meters away. Trees would slow me down... but so would swerving. I stopped the tank and began to turn it and the turret to the oppressors.

"What are you doing?!" Twilight panicked as I looked at the tank which was rolling down the hill.

"Giving them a taste of humanity." I said as I centered in on the tank and blew it completely to shreds as the other tank smashed into it and was slowed down. I backed up onto an upward slope, and when they were below, I gunned the engine and rammed the second tank full speed and crushed the gunner, as I fired again at the last tank we saw for a while.

I could almost hear the battle cry of the E-100 as we rolled out of the way of the wreckage and down the rest of the hills. I looked back and fired one last shot into the hillside and saw the dirt explode into the air, and the advancing tanks stopped and fired at me, only missing and letting me get over the hillside where I stopped and turned the tank around again.

I rolled the tank over the hill and popped out of the observation hatch.

"COME AND GET SOME!" I yelled and shook my fist and then got back in the tank and slammed the top lid shut and cursed in anger.

I fired at the rest of the tanks as the last two looked back and ran, another two driving out of the bushes but then making a hasty retreat when they saw one of their comrades die with the slightest hesitation.

I rolled the tank back towards what seemed like the Crystal Kingdom. Interesting, I'd never seen this place before.

I looked through the observation hatch and saw a platoon of 30 Pegasi flying towards us. I stopped for a moment to hear the conversation behind me.

"I thought they were called the Winter Breeze?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, their nickname to those who didn't know they were Dreamcrushers."

"And just where was Discord, this whole time, by the way?" Rainbow Dash asked Twilight.

"I was right here. The whole time. I was channeling my magic to Twilight for... both power and protection." He responded and popped out of Twilight's saddlebag.

"Euuggghhh..." I growled as they stopped and a few ponies with magic hit the tank and stopped it with a magic spell of immobility.

"Wait! Stop, my ponies!" Celestia popped out of the hatch and flew up and landed, hitting the ground softly and walked in front of them.

"Auntie?!" I heard a voice as the rest of the ponies came out of the hatch along with Ellie as she joined her platoon and discussed things.

"Auntie! I'm so glad your back! And Twilight! Oh thank goodness!" A familiar pony known as Mi Amore Cadenza spoke up.

"How did you manage to escape?"

"I don't know... it was truly something that was... both spectacular and yet... amazingly difficult," She started, as I popped out of the tank and looked at them all,", but I couldn't have done it without this one." She pointed as she lifted me out of the tank and next to her with her magic as I stood, slightly tired from the 2 days of straight driving.

No sleep. But hey, extreme conditioning helps.

"Who is this?"

"This... is Michael. Michael Jaeger Dreamrider." She said as I looked at her strangely, as I didn't tell her or anyone my middle name.

"I did some research earlier on in the year..." She smiled at me and spoke softly. She looked back at Cadence as Twilight walked next to Celestia and me, in between, looking up at me once in a while.

"This human saved the princess."

"No... no... no... we saved each other... I couldn't have done it without her... I would've been dead long before I even woke up... she was the real hero. She laid down her walls to help me, and in turn, I did the same." I finished in reply as she smiled and hugged me.

"Thank you..." She whispered and kissed my cheek softly as I blushed slightly and stared at her in shock as I was unable to figure out what to do.

"Thank you for what you did, Michael... I don't know how to thank you."

"Well... I... gotta go, so... I need to pack my things... what little I have." I shrugged as Celestia looked at me strangely.

"Go? Where?"

"Well... I told you, I wasn't going to stick around... I have my own life now... I need to make the decision for myself."

"But you said that... I thought..." Twilight said as I shook my head.

"Nope... I guess this is where we split up... Twilight, would you do something for me?"

"Y-yes?"

"Could you enchant the engine to never run out of fuel? And the same with the ammunition count as well? I need that."

"Oh... oh yes... um... I'll get on that." She said as I nodded and smiled, facing around and seeing Celestia face-to-face.

"Michael... please don't leave." She said as I shook my head in reply.

"Gotta leave. Nothing else I can do. I can't stay here... I am done being treated like shit." I said as she sighed in defeat.

"I really don't want you to leave... please don't." She pleaded.

"Celestia, don't make this hard for me." I said as Twilight told me it was done. I climbed back into the E-100 but remained standing to say my last words to her.

"I need to leave... it was lovely to be around you... your one of the best damn soldiers I've ever seen... so with that, take care on that battlefield." I said as saluted to her as she only stood in sadness and shook her head, sitting down in defeat as I closed the hatch and began to drive away.

I rounded the corner until they couldn't see me anymore, when I began to realize something.

Where would I go? What would I do? Become? The only life I've had is... here.

I stopped the tank and thought about it for a moment until I realized that here wasn't so bad. I climbed out of the tank and quietly thought about the decision for myself until I walked around the corner, Ellie's platoon talking, obviously not realizing that I had gone.

I walked back and looked at Celestia as she stopped talking to look at me.

"Y'know..." I started, "... on second thought... I'll stick around." I smiled as she smiled and trotted up to me, hugging me and sighing.

"Thank you for deciding that, Michael... thank you so much." She said to me as I embraced her in return.

"Well, I've got no where else to go, so I might as well stick around with you fine folks." I smiled as Ellie walked up to me.

"Where's the tank?" She asked politely.

"Over around the corner there." I pointed around the corner as Ellie walked briskly, obviously because she needed to retrieve something.

"What made you decide to stay?"

"Well... exactly?"

"Yes... exactly."

"I just had... a feeling."

"Michael?!" Twilight spoke up as I looked at her, obviously she didn't know I was here to stay.

"I thought you had left!" She said as I shook my head.

"Nope... I guess I'm stayin'." I said as she smiled and then trotted over and hugged me for a second and looked at me.

"Thank you. It was lovely to have you when you were here... let's make that a second time." She smiled as I nodded and thought the same.

"What's going on?" Ellie said as we looked at her and laughed for a moment in humor of how funny she looked when she didn't know what was going on.

"Nothing, Ellie, nothing... just some stuff." I said while putting my hand on her shoulder and laughing some more.

"It's just... in light of what just happened, it... y'know what, never mind." I said as she rolled her eyes. She then grabbed my hand gently and put it down to my side, but instead of letting it go, she held onto it gently.

Almost unnoticeable. I saw Celestia look down at Ellie's hand for a moment and then at me again, as if she had a purpose hidden in her mind... almost as if she didn't like what was happening.

It was just the feeling of seeing me again. Ellie will get over it, soon.

"Twilight? Would you please dispatch a letter to my sister that we will be at the front doors of the castle in a few minutes?"

"Surely." She said, beginning on the task.

"I want to see my sister again." She said and looked towards Canterlot as her horn lit up.

"Would you all like to see Canterlot again?" She asked as we walked over to a magic teleporter termial.

"Sure." I said.

"Sounds good." Ellie replied as the rest of the platoon stayed, regardless of her decision.

"Gather round, friends." Celestia said as her horn lit up and a golden aura rested around us as a flash blinded us and we were immediately sent to Canterlot in a moment.

We opened our eyes to see the ponies all staring at us, looking at Celestia as she spoke among the ponies as we looked at each other.

"Well... seems alright." I said as Ellie giggled at my comment.

"Your so apprehensive..." She giggled some more.

She always loved it when I got that way. Made her giggle, as I witnessed. Rarely did she giggle, but when she giggled, it was so sexy...

… _Why... no... I shouldn't be thinking of her that way... it's just wrong..._

… _right?_

I rubbed my eye in slight exhaustion as I closed my eye and ignored all other sounds and tried to rest for a moment. I didn't realize that I had begun to lean backwards and almost fell down on my back, only just being saved by Ellie who held me tight.

"Wh-Wha? What happened?" I said as Ellie looked at me and stared me in the eye seriously.

"Michael?" She kept staring as I tried to focus my eye on hers, but they were seemingly faltering.

"Y-Yeah?" I said as I snapped out of it sluggishly.

"Michael, your not well, you need to rest." Her concerned tone, both caring and serious, gave me a warm feeling that she still thought of me like a little brother.

"Sister?" A familiar Luna spoke up as Celestia ran towards her sister and embraced her quickly, tears flowing. As nice as it was to see, I was distracted by a queasy feeling in the stomach.

"Michael?" Ellie studied me seriously.

I fell to my knees and covered my mouth as I coughed up the rest of what was left in my stomach, and then came out a metal chip, no more the size of a half-dollar coin.

"Michael!" She grabbed me and lifted me up as I pointed at that. She grabbed the chip and looked at it, still holding me as I admired her strength.

I was 223 pounds of muscle.

And she was holding me up with one arm. Man, was she strong. And she was always like that, picking me up by one arm in a way that was intimidating.

"What is that?" George looked at it as she squinted at it and destroyed it.

"Gone, that's what." She growled and threw it on the ground, staring at it as if it was the bane of her existence.

"Now, back to you. You need some rest, now." She said as I nodded and shuffled along with her.

"Where is the hospital?" She asked Celestia.

"Just put him in a room in the castle." She said as I remembered the directions.

"Left... right... straight... right." I told her as she was confused, but then as I pointed to the castle, she immediately got the message and made her way quickly to it with me, almost dragging me at her pace.

"We have a sick man, we need to get him somewhere, now!" She said.

"Princess's... o-orders." I coughed up as Ellie looked at me and then at the guard. He shook his head and walked over to the princess for confirmation.

"Rrggh!" Ellie growled as she burst through the door with me, shoving the other guard away as the first guard told him to let it go, the order was valid. She walked me through the hallways in a fast and careless manner, as each sharp turn made me even dizzier.

When we finally reached the hallway which contained all the rooms for the living quarters, she found the closest one and burst through the door, laying me down on the bed gently and looking down at me.

"What's wrong with me?" I complained as she raised her eyebrow.

"Your exhausted. You drove a tank for 51 hours straight. And even before that, you managed to escape without sleep for another 6. So, I tell you, your exhausted, and if you don't go to sleep, I'll put you to sleep." She told me, as I knew she was always acting like the older sister model... but I didn't want that anymore.

"Ellie... I'm not your little brother anymore... if I can handle the Dreamcrushers, then I can handle a queasy stomach. So stop acting like I'm 10 and your... 15." I spluttered out and sat up as she looked at me with her hands around her hips.

"I'm not doing this because I need to... I'm doing this because I want to..." She told me as I raised a brow to her.

"What?" I squinted my eye at her as sat down next to me.

"I said I'm doing this because I want to... Michael... I was told to always be there for you when you needed me, to be your older sister at all times, helping you through everything... I stopped that when you stopped being my little brother..." She told me as she wrapped her hand around my head and looked at me eye-to-eye for the first time.

"You aren't my little brother anymore... I'm doing this because... I... I love you. Love you like any good _friend_ would. Even more so. I'm prepared to anything for you. Anything at all." She told me and lied about loving me like a friend without my knowing, as I looked down, my fears and worries leaving me like a breeze does on a cold day.

"Yeah... I know. Maybe not as much as you do, but I know... it's just... I don't know... when I look at you now, I feel... so much different than if I looked at you 10 years ago... it's... not the same." I admitted as she cocked her head the side and thought.

"In what way?"

"I don't know," I lied,", I'm tired." I finished as she nodded and stood up.

"Alright... sleep well, Michael." She spoke softly as she leaned down and kissed my head as I gave her hand a gentle squeeze and smiled. I hit the pillow softly when I laid down.

 _That was weird... she's never kissed me before... least not like THAT before..._

 _Well... whatever..._

…

 _ **The Next Day... 9:08...**_

…

"Ellie... wait... don't go... Ellie!"

"ELLIE!" I screamed as Celestia burst through the doors, and I was shook awake quickly.

"Michael! What's wrong?" She asked me as I looked at her.

"I... I don't know... I was have a dream... it was about me and you, escaping, but then Ellie did something, and... she was... killed." I spluttered as she looked at me, worriedly and shook me awake fervently.

"I'm sorry, Celestia, it's just that-"

"It's fine, Michael, and call me Tia, or Cel, or something else."

"Um, I'm not much comfortable with that. I might get in trouble."

"No you won't." She said quickly.

"But the laws are still in the works."

"I can change that. Just call me Tia. Please." She said in a fast manner like before.

…

"Well... alright, I guess. I won't get in trouble?"

"I promise you won't."

"Um... alright, I guess... It's just that... why?"

"B-Because, um, uhh, oh! Because that it uhh, makes me feel like were still enemies?" She said with a reassuring look on her face.

…

"Sure. Alright, if it makes you feel uncomfortable, then, okay." I agreed.

 _'Oh thank heavens... now he'll feel even MORE attached to me! Heee! Yay!' She thought._

"What?" I said as she looked at me and smiled widely.

"Say it."

"Say what?"

"My name."

"Celestia?"

"No! What your _going_ to be calling me." She smiled.

"T...Ti... Tia?" I said on the third try.

"Yes! Oh that makes me feel so much better!" She hugged me as I couldn't help but embrace it as well and wonder; 'What the hell is going on?'.

"Uhm, a-alright, isn't that a little clingy?" I said as she stopped hugging me and thought, staring at me with those big violet eyes, radiating passion and care.

"No." She said quickly as I shrugged and leaned into the pillow, my morning weakness leaving me slowly.

"Are you still tired? Because you've been asleep for two days now."

"Wow, really? I'm not, but, _wow._ "

"You we're very exhausted... Ellie and the others went to go and straighten things out with the Laws, so I've been taking... _verrry_ good care of you while you slept." She said with a large smile and flashy eyes.

I didn't like the way she said that.

"You really should get up and walk around." She changed the subject.

"Your absolutely right." I said and hopped out of bed quickly, smelling myself and realizing I needed a shower.

"I need a shower. Bad. You mind if I use yours?"

"Not at all."

"Sweet, I'll be right out."

"Mhm... yes you will." She said to herself quietly, unable for me to hear as I rushed to the bathroom and undressed quickly, grabbing a towel, and looking at the large shower. It didn't even have a door. It was a walk-in shower. And the bathroom? Was huge. Lined with products that a woman, or in this case, a mare would use. I just couldn't believe how... luxurious she lived. Or that her bathroom showed.

I walked into the shower to the knobs.

"This is cold. So this is hot." I pointed and turned it, surprised that it was warm, but then... it turned to scalding hot.

"GRRRRH!" I grunted loudly and turned it down slightly, turning it up to warm. I clenched my fist and shook it to the sky as I then heard somebody come into the bathroom.

"Michael?"

"Um... y-yeah?"

"You forgot your towel!" She notified me as I stopped to think. I leaned out the entrance to see.

"I did? I could swear I got one."

"Uhh... no, I don't see one." She lied, without my knowing, of course.

"Alright. Well, thanks. I appreciate it." I gave her a thumbs up and returned to the shower.

"So... how are you liking the shower?" She asked, her voice now closer.

"Seems _really_ nice. I love it. I've always dreamed of a walk-in shower..."

"Really?" She asked, her voice now sounding like it was right next to me. I looked over my right shoulder to make sure of her location, noticing the large scar on my shoulder which took it's place from months ago when I got that spear thrusted into it. Only when I see her in the shower, sitting on the marble bench in the middle of it.

"Woah! Back it up, what are _you DOING_ here?!" I asked her, freaking out and panicking at her presence.

"I... well, I won't lie to you, I wanted to see you... without clothing." She said to me, looking at my figure for a moment as I quickly looked around and then back to her.

"Why?!"

"Because... after what you did for me, I... I just..." She looked down and stood up and stepped off the bench.

"... I fell in love with you."

…

"... What?"

"I love you. I love your smile, your personality, everything about you. Luna, my sister, was right. You are the mate I've been looking for, not a pony, but a man, a human."

"Why me? Why not another creature? I heard about it. It never specified. I couldn't be me... no way. I don't think I could let myself... That's like giving my father the finger and walking away with his inheritance to me... like the Prodigal Son." I said as she approached me, now only inches away, as her chest was close to mine. It was hard not to look at her.

"What makes it so bad? Do you... not like me?" She said, her eyes rolling up to mine. She was 2 and a half inches taller than me, as I was about 6' 1".

"N-no! It's just that-"

"What? Is it because your scared?" She looked with an angry glare.

"No! I'm not! I'm-"

"Scared to love? Scared to lose the ones you love again, so you shut yourself off from them?"

"H... How do you know that?" I asked.

"Because... I know. But you haven't answered my question. Are you scared?" She asked.

"N... a little." I replied and scratched my head, her lips now breathing on mine as I looked into her eyes, her eyes bouncing from my lips to my eyes as I was scared, never feeling like this before.

"Just... let... me... love... you." She spoke in breathy tones as she kissed me softly, holding herself there as I found myself placing my hand on her hips and sides, pulling her towards me.

She stopped kissing me and placed her head against mine and sighed romantically.

"Yes... yes... more..." She said through heavy breathing. She kissed me again, this time, her tongue licking mine in the most sensual manner, slowly prying my lips open. After only a second more, I couldn't resist, and I opened my lips slightly, her large and long tongue sneaking in and exploring my mouth sensually and slowly.

 _No... no... NO!_

I burned with the feeling that this was wrong and realized it was and I rejected what I was feeling at the moment.

I shoved her away in one large thrust, exclaiming in disgust and wiping my mouth and looking at her with squinted eyes.

"What the hell has gotten into you?" I asked through clenched teeth as I walked to the left, trying to get away from her. She walked with my step, blocking me from leaving.

"Please, don't try to leave. I've waited for this moment long enough." She said while slowly walking over. I backed up, as she forced me into a corner.

"Don't force me." I told her as she kept walking. When she was in arms distance, I shoved her away again with a large force again.

"DON'T FORCE ME!" I yelled at her and then ran for the exit, only to be brought to my knees with magic.

"When you were in the cell, who took care of you?"

"Let me... go..." I growled.

"What, did you think I did that because I wanted to get out? Your quite gullible, Michael."

"No... _**I'm not.**_ " I growled and could feel my body beginning to change.

 _No... not here, please..._

"Do you know how long I've waited for somepony? I've seen love bloom a thousand times, and a thousand times I bloomed for none. To take this away from me would be like death."

" **It's not yours to take."** I growled again and began to move again, resisting the magic ability a tiny amount, as she increased the flow and stopped me again, my crawl to a halt.

"What is mine I shall give, and what is yours I shall take, hm? Isn't that another one of Michael's famous sayings?"

" **It meant war. The troops. Not personal things."** I replied, the urge to destroy everything becoming harder and harder.

"Or how about this, Michael," She leaned in and whispered into my ear, ", the gift of life is nothing without the life of love. Hm?" She said as shook with anger, trembling as felt my hands warm up slowly.

" **Please... stop... I don't want to have to do this... don't make me..."** I begged her as she trailed her hand along my back up to my head, caressing my cheek and kissing me on the shoulder.

"Don't make you what? I won't make you do anything, Ael, I'll do it all for you..." She kissed me again but this time on my cheek as I growled with rage, slowly escaping her magic grasp and crawling towards the exit like the last level of a horror game.

"Leaving so soon?" She said, laying in front of me with her position like a cat's, hooves in front, waiting for me to reach her.

"Come on! Come to me, Ael!" She said as I reached my hand out and a fireball came out of my palm and struck a hole in the wall the side of her, as I stood up and leaped towards it, her magic leaving me as I looked around and grabbed my clothing and running out of the bathroom and then the bedroom I was in.

I looked around frantically and ran into the bedroom next to it, getting my clothing on quickly, my jeans and belt, with my black t-shirt. I slipped my tennis shoes on and ran to the door and opened it quickly but silently, looking around as I walked out and closed it silently.

"Boo." I looked back and saw Celestia standing there.

"AAAH!" I screamed and ran the other way as fast as I could, thinking of only one thing.

Gettin' the hell outta here.

"You make me run for you? No." She said and then teleported in front of me. I stopped and tripped on myself, hitting the ground and scrambling to get up. She pushed me into a wall and kissed me, stuffing her tongue down my throat, as I tried to stop her, but she was strong. I managed to shove her away, only after losing my shirt from her magic, and stood there panting for air as she smirked at me.

"Why stop it?"

I ran again towards the door and then realized I reached the throne room, where Applejack and Rarity were talking about something when I stopped and looked at them, and then back.

"Well, howdy partner." Applejack said as I silently tip-toed my way over to them and hid behind them.

"Michael? Why are you running?" Celestia's voice addressed me as I stood up when she entered the throne room.

"Get away, get away, get away, get away." I said in a fast manner.

"What's wrong, Michael?" Rarity asked me.

"H-Her." I said as I burst out of the throne room from the other doors when Celestia began to run to me.

"Oh god, no!" I said while smashing into somebody, and tumbling with them for a few feet.

"Terrribly sorry, madam, I-"

"Michael?" Ellie said as I looked at her and then to the figure who was standing there with an amused look on her face.

"No." I said while scrambling up on my feet and running, only to have Ellie yank me back by my wrist and look at me.

"What is gotten into you?"

"Lot's o' shit, gotta go!" I said as I scrambled from her grasp and ran as Celestia gave chase. Ellie rolled her eyes and ran after me with Celestia as I looked back and realized that Ellie was now chasing me.

"You maybe me faster, but you ain't better!" I told Ellie as I jumped between barrels and then into an alley where they caught me.

"Ok. Now what's this all about." Ellie looked at me.

"Ask her."

"No, I want it from you, first."

"Well then that's too bad." I said while jumping from wall in the small alleyway. I reached the top of the building and stood there, triumphant.

"You forget I can fly." Celestia told me as I looked behind me and she was flying.

"Oh shit." I freaked and ran the other way, hitting a chimney immediately and falling the ground on my face.

"Aww... man... my head... ugh..." I said as the world spun and spun around.

"Tsk... Michael... you silly boy." She said as I was picked up and teleported, before I blacked out at the white flash...

 _ **A few hours later...**_

…

"Mmm..."

…

"Uuugh..."

"Shh, he's waking up." I heard a familiar voice say.

"Twilight?" I called out as I opened my eye and let it adjust.

"How'd you know it was me?" She walked up.

"Because I know your voice as good as anyone's." I told her and sat up, turning my head to look at her, when I saw Celestia standing next to her.

"Oh god no." I said, readying myself to run.

"It's alright Michael, I won't hurt you." She said as I relaxed a bit.

"So... through the meetings we've been in, we couldn't change the Laws... I'm sorry."

"Yeah, I'm not surprised." I rubbed my head and nodded.

"I'm sorry that we couldn't persuade them." Rarity said as I waved it off.

"It's fine."

"Not really, Michael." I heard Ellie's voice behind me, standing and facing the window.

"Why?"

"Because we are still bound by these rules... or, at least, you are." She said as I cocked my head and she turned around.

"What do you mean, me?"

"I didn't stay here long before I realized you were here. I live outside of Equestria. Where they can't get me." She said and glared at Celestia.

"So we've come up with a choice for you Michael." Ellie said, putting her hand behind her back.

"You can stay here, bound by these rules, or you can come with us, and we will show you what living is really like. Your pick." She said as I looked at her, and then at Celestia, her eyes pleading for me to stay here, but Ellie's gestures making it hard to decide.

But I made my decision.

I sat at the end of the bed and then stood up.

"I've made my decision." I told them, their faces pleading different things.

"I'm leaving. Whether it be for good or not, it depends on you." I told Celestia and Twilight, as Luna stood in the back and listened.

"So... your not the warrior... in the prophecy... are you?" She looked at me with a saddened expression.

"I guess not... maybe I'm just another John Doe." I told them as Luna cried silently, and Celestia looked down in sadness, as Ellie walked up to me.

"We should leave now." She said as I nodded.

"Twilight, and the rest of you, I just want you to know... if you ever need any help... just ask. I'll be there in a heartbeat... I don't know how long I'll be gone... but it depends on you." I said and pointed to her heart as she nodded and silently cried as I began to walk away.

"We'll try as hard as we can, okay, Michael?"

"All I ask... and thanks." I looked back and nodded, Ellie walking with me in silence.

"So... why'd you choose to leave?"

"Because... I have a job to do. I have to lead the rebellion against Equestria... it's the only way."

"I thought you said we weren't to do that!"

"That was before I realized something. If we go to war with Equestria, then it's troops will be fighting us, where the rest of us humans, the ones inside Equestria already, with try to convince them to destroy the Conduct, and the war will be over instantly. It's the only way... and I can't stray from it." I told her.

She nodded slowly and shrugged at the facts that we face.

"If it's the only way..." She agreed.

…

"By the way, I... the survivors... the rest of humanity... don't know that your here. They've never seen you before. They all still believe that you are like a god... so... don't think anything of it." She convinced me as I nodded.

"What about comms?" I asked.

"We don't have any except local chat for special ops like against the Dreamcrushers."

"Oh..."

 _Well that would explain EVERYTHING... sheesh._

"Hm... well... does your group have any enemies?"

"We're in one."

"Sure, sure, I know, but others?"

"Well... Jaypan... Prance, Scoltland, and such... all ponies, but different factions of ponies... the rest of them are just neutral."

…

"Damn... "

…

…

"God... I only wanted to live a normal life... and this is what I got." I said to myself as Ellie silently listened.

"If I could change one thing in this world... it'd have been the mess we got ourselves into... it's amazing how much one mistake cost us..."

"And what we have to do to fix it."

"True... then again, it's not a matter of 'fixing it', but more of solving it."

"True, but, without the proper tools to fix it, solving it will get us no where." She countered.

"Yeah... I like the way you think." I told her as she just nodded...

… And that was that. We made our way to the Crystal Kingdom, where the rest of the men and women, not to mention the E 100, were still there, guarded by two Pegasi, two Earth, and two Unicorn ponies.

We walked up to up and told them that Celestia let us leave. Two of the unicorn guards left, the other 4 remained. We knocked the four out and decided to leave on our own time. I sat on the top of the turret while Ellie told me where to go for the rendezvous point where a transport ship would get us out of here. We arrived, pressed the button on the beacon, and waited for the transport.

The ship stealthily hovered over, picked up the E 100, and we boarded the passenger section. We sat down in the rugged ship in the recreation area, where the men had drinks, and the women talked about getting back, whereas me, and mostly me, sat alone in the dark and thought. I quite enjoyed the lack of company, for once.

"Sir?" A friendly voice spoke to me as the large man, George, stood there.

"Hey."

"May I sit?"

"Sure. Have a seat."

"Thank you, sir."

"No sir... at least not when it's just us."

"Sure. If I may, you look different."

"What do you mean?" I squinted my eye and raised my eyebrow.

"Well... you look like something is bothering you."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Well... your right. Something is bothering me... I don't know what it is... it's just... I feel as if something is inside of me telling me that I shouldn't do this."

"Well, you've got me there, I've been through that a thousand-and-one times." He said as my head began to hurt when he said that, being blinded for a moment and then passing out...

 _ **Unknown... Time: Unknown...**_

" _We're losing. We are dying. And it seems there is nothing we can do to stop them." A female voice spoke with depression._

" _Your right... we were never meant to fight magical power... if we were, we'd have 'em... but we don't... the question is, what can we do?" A strong, deep, male voice spoke in return, depression also noticeable._

 _I saw nothing. Nothing but an unending white surrounding, the voices coming from all around in a clear and noticeable manner._

" _Well... we all have it, but... we could never use it." The female voice spoke._

" _Why?" He asked._

" _We don't know how... I wish... I wish life could be like when the First was around... peaceful... and serene..._

 _The scene whooshed to a forest environment near a river with a gorgeous mountain view. I walked along the river for a while before I found a cabin overlooking a lake. I didn't question where I was. I didn't care. All I cared about was her words: 'when the First'._

 _I ran up to the cabin and stopped quickly and then surveyed it. The curtains were all closed... the back door was locked... the front door, I didn't try._

 _I walked up onto the porch, and looked into the windows through a small crack in the curtains. Nothing. I reached for the door handle, only to be surprised that my hand slipped right through. I was shocked, scared, and curious. I reached my hand through the door and then realized that I could pass through things without having to make a path. Essentially, I was like a ghost. An entity. I passed through the door and looked around. It was... quaint. Peaceful... even serene. I only stayed for a moment when I heard a voice seemingly laughing outside the cabin what seemed like 300 or 400 feet away. I ran outside and looked around, to see two people sitting next to each other next to the river under a tree._

 _I ran down quickly and found a man sitting next to someone. I hid around the tree and only listened silently._

 _The man's voice was low, and tough, like from before, but fuller, and...clearer. And different. This is not the same man. I crept around, and looked at him. I only saw the back of his head and left side of his body, but from what I saw, he was strong. He had dark blond hair... exactly the same as mine. Almost exactly... strange._

 _The laughed for a moment and then I heard him say something._

" _Oh I love you, Mina." He said as he kissed her and the chuckled again. He stood up and looked towards the dock, not seeing me as I studied his face... no..._

… _no..._

… _it couldn't be..._

" _Michael?" I said as he walked forwards and I looked to see who was next to him, only to see the backside of her hair, red like velvet, her skin like a creamy, almost buttery look to it, with strange ears, pointing straight up as she fluffed her hair with a..._

… _hoof?_

 _ **Present Day... Only a few minutes later...**_

"Michael?"

"Michael, wake up!"

"Huhhhh... wha?" I looked up and was shaken awake.

"He's awake!" Ellie said as I looked at her and stood up, thinking about what I saw for a moment and then piecing it together. I freaked for a moment and tipped over the table accidentally by standing and was almost thrown back from my shock.

"What is it, Michael?" Ellie asked.

"I think he's got something on his mind." George said as I looked around in panic.

"Stop the vehicle." I breathed.

"What?" She squinted her eyes in disbelief.

"I said stop the vehicle!" I yelled to her as I scrambled over them and ran to the pilot.

"Stop the transport."

"Uhm, uhh, y-yes... sir." He stuttered and stopped it.

"Go back. Back to Equestria."

"S-Sir?"

"Now!" I yelled at him and walked back outside of the cockpit and sat down silently.

"What is with you? Rollins, stop this thing!" She said as I looked at her and then to pilot.

"Belay that order!" I told him.

"I said stop or I'll do it!" She argued.

"Belay that order!" I said again. When he didn't comply instantly, confused of the chain of command, he proceeded to stop the transport.

"As your commanding officer, I order you to keep this thing going." I growled.

"No you won't." She glared at him.

"As the Second, Most High of the Dreamrider Family, I am ordering you to stop this vehicle immediately." I squinted my eye at Ellie for questioning my authority.

"What are you doing?" She asked and got in my face for it.

"You have no authority over me, I don't care how old you are. I am and always will be your CO. Got that?"

"Not here you aren't." She said and walked inside the cockpit and threw the pilot out and putting the plane on autopilot and resuming it's course to the Everfree forest.

I walked over to her and grabbed her shoulder and twisted her around to face me.

"Stop this thing now." I told her.

"No. Not until you tell me what is going on." She said and stood up, staring me down.

"I don't have to explain myself to you." I relented.

"The hell you don't!"

"The hell I do."

"Without me, you'd likely be dead."

"Well, I'm not, am I?"

She pushed me and slammed me against a wall and grabbed my shirt and held me up.

"You have no appreciation for things, do you?" She said and held me there.

"Tell me! What's going on!?" She said as I went limp for a moment, only to open my eye with the fire it had before when I reacted to Trixie the first time. My eye-patch glowed a fire orange as well, my blood and veins lighting up and illuminating my skin like lava as I began to burn her skin, making her let me go quickly and gasp from the pain.

" **Do not tell me what to do. No one has ever or shall ever tell** _ **me**_ **what to do. And neither will you, human. Do not deny yourself the chance to live, or I shall dictate your life, as I did to so many others before they realized they were too little or too late."** I growled at her and forced her into a corner, her face afraid of me as now she looked like a scared little girl.

" **Do you** _ **UNDERSTAND?**_ " I asked her as she began to tremble. I walked out of the small room connecting to the cockpit and saw the men and women look at me as if I was a monster.

"Resume your previous activities. I'm done here." I said and punched the emergency release for the E-100, and then walked over to the hanger bay and opened the back hatch and looked down at the E-100. I jumped out just as I heard Ellie scream my name. I landed down the ground, my fist creating a huge thud into the ground as I ran forwards to the E-100 and hopped in.

"Mornin', gents."

"Good morning, sir. Where to?" The driver asked.

"Equestria. The gate where we parked last time."

"Right, sir. Moving towards destination." He replied as the large tank moved forwards. I fired a few shells to get obstacles out of our way. When we reached the gates, more Pegasi greeted us in a less than friendly way, as they halted our tank with the help of a few Unicorn.

"Fear not, 'tis I." I popped out of the hatch.

"Is that yours, too?" He pointed at the transport that was following me.

"No. You can stop them." I said as they nodded and proceeded to stop it. And they did. With the Unicorns, of course.

"Ey. You." I looked and tried to get the attention of the Unicorn guard.

"Yes?" A female voice responded to me.

"Can you get me to the Crystal Castle?" I asked.

"I can you _to_ the castle, but not in it." She replied.

"Good enough. Send me there, please." I acknowledged.

"Where with this go?" She asked.

"Um, one minute." I said and climbed into the hatch again.

"Driver, get me into the bushes behind us for cover.

"Affirmative." He nodded and drove.

I popped out and gave them the thumbs up. I climbed off the tank and the Unicorn transported me and herself to the Crystal Castle.

"There you go. Now you know I can't leave you alone, right?"

"Yes. In fact, I need you here so that they don't tackle me to the ground."

"Heh, true." She said as I walked up to the castle.

"So why are you so nice?" I asked.

"I've grown quite fond of humans. I'm against human owning and the Laws... so... I'm fine with your kind." She shrugged and I smiled.

"Well, that's nice." I nodded.

"Stop. What are you here for? Meeting? Princess?" The guard on the left asked.

"Princess."

"Do you have a form?"

"No. But can ya get me in?"

"... She hasn't any appointments scheduled, so... go on in." He waved me through.

"Thank you."

"Yeah, yeah..." He said as I walked in with my new friend.

"So why do you need the Princess?"

"She's the only one I can talk to anymore. The others... I don't know. I'm afraid they won't listen... like... they're... tainted."

"Oh... well, that's alright, Mr.?"

"Dreamrider. Or Michael... I don't care, whatever sounds better."

"Mr. Dreamrider it is, then."

We kept walking, as she led me to the entrance of the chambers of the Princess.

"Wait here." She told me as she knocked and walked in. I listened quietly.

"What? A human? That's odd." The Princess said as my friend walked out. She nodded and waved me in. I nodded and began to walk, looking at my attire. I looked like a man straight out of World War II, of the Earth Wars. Tank operator.

I walked through the doors with my hands behind my back in respect. I rubbed the back of my neck in slight nervousness as I unbuttoned my tank operator hat. A lot like an old aviators hat... similar.

"What brings you here?" She asked as I looked around and then at her.

"I'm looking for someone... or some _pony_ , to speak to about a vision that I can't explain."

"Are you sure it wasn't just a dream?"

"No ma'am, I'm sure it wasn't. I was pleasantly speaking with others of my kind, and blacked out. I know this wasn't a dream. I came to you to see if I could speak to you about it... or, at least, somebody." I replied.

"I have no knowledge on how to tell you what you saw, but I know somepony who does." She said as Luna walked out of the next room.

"How the..." I whispered to myself, trailing off as Luna said next to Miss Cadenza.

"Michael, tell me what you saw." She said as I backed up, only to hit something fuzzy and warm, and very soft... and white. I looked back to see Celestia staring at me with concerned eyes as I then walked forwards and realized I wasn't going anywhere for awhile.

I opened my mouth to speak, but Luna cut me off.

"Before you speak, I must tell you that I saw what you saw... from a distance, of course. But tell me what _you_ saw."

…

"I saw... a lavish forest. A cabin upon a small hill overlooking a river. By that river was a tree... a man was sitting, as well as what I saw as a pony, together... talking. I later found that the man I saw was Michael himself... but as to who the pony was, I don't know." I told them boldly as Luna looked confused.

"You mean yourself?"

"No. Not I, Michael the Second, but him, Michael the First... I know what he looks like because I spent a while reading about him and saw a picture of him once..." I admitted and explained with a quiet seriousness in my voice.

"I... I don't know why I saw what I saw... I'm confused. That's why I came back. To try and figure out what I saw. I know it wasn't my mind playing tricks on me... help me, will you?" I asked Luna.

"Surely..." She nodded as Celestia stood quietly behind me. I looked back again, still apprehensive on staying here... with her.

"Michael, if something is bothering you, tell us." She said as I looked forwards and shook my head.

"It's nothing."

"Are you sure?" Miss Cadenza asked.

"Yes, I'm sure... just forget it."

"Michael-" Celestia pried.

"I said forget it!" I yelled at her with an annoyed voice.

"Anyway... I will be staying here in Equestria. I don't care how long it takes. I will find the answer... one way or another." I said as Luna nodded.

"Well... then we should go to the library." Luna spoke up.

"Why?" I asked.

"We need information on earlier lineage of ponies..."

"Really?" I requested assurance.

"Yes..."

…

"Well... no use standing around." Miss Cadenza piped up as Celestia nodded.

"Mhm. Off we go." Celestia spoke.

 **End of Chapter 9**

 **Well. There you go. Michael's first glimpse. But who was that pony? Why is it, all of a sudden, the unthinkable tale concerning Michael and another pony, now seems to get the attention?**

 **I think I smell a bigger story in play.**

 **Anyway, thanks for reading you guys, (and girls), and I will see you next time! (I hope)**

 **Stay awesome! :)**


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